Biographical Memoir of the late Henry Kiiht 9 



Planches cohreeSy which are now published by Temminck and 

 Laugier. 



While Kiihl was thus occupied at Amsterdam, Swinderen 

 received a letter at Groningen, by which intimation was given 

 of his being appointed to undertake a journey at the public ex- 

 pence. A letter was also transmitted to Kiihl himself, by the 

 King's minister and counsellor for public institutions of teach- 

 ing works of art, and the colonies, to the following effect: 

 That his Majesty, from what had been reported to him of his 

 knowledge in the various departments of natural history, his 

 love of science, and the ardent desire which he possessed for the 

 extension of knowledge, had selected him, as a young man, who 

 might be sent with advantage to one or more of the colonies be- 

 longing to the state, in order to lay before the learned of his 

 own country, and of Europe in general, the still hidden treasures 

 which nature had so largely bestowed upon them. 



Nearly at the same time, the minister, thinking it absolutely 

 necessary, in order to insure the success of the undertaking, that 

 Kiihl, before setting out, should be well acquainted with the 

 full progress which science has made in Europe, persuaded the 

 king to order him to proceed to London and Paris, at the pub- 

 lic expence. This intelligence produced the most lively emo- 

 tions in the mind of Kiihl, and, in a letter to Swinderen on this 

 occasion, he writes as follows : — " I was so agitated by the mes- 

 sage, that I did not know what to do for joy. Much, indeed, 

 am I indebted to you and Temminck, nor shall I ever forget 

 the many good offices which you have performed to me. It was 

 always, indeed, my firm resolution to devote myself entirely to 

 science, but with how many impediments should I have had to 

 struggle, had I not been so fortunate as to become acquainted 

 with you. My residence at Groningen was among the most 

 agreeable periods of my life, and will always remain so ; nor 

 shall I ever forget the happy days in which I there commenced 

 my studies." 



On the 3d of April, he set out, accompanied by Temminck 

 and Lichtenstein, for London, where he was kindly received by 

 all the learned. Almost all of them presented him with speci- 

 mens, or' at least gave him free access to their collections, that 



