3ia 



MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



University of Edinburgh. — Dr. Christison, in his lectures on Medical Juris- 

 prudence, has adopted the only system of education which can reward the labour 

 of the teaclier by the proficiency of the pupil. He gives regular examinations 

 on the subjects upon which he has lectured, and stimulates emulation amongst 

 his students, by giving cases or theses as a constant exercise. Dr. C. promises, 

 on many accounts, to sustain and add to the reputation of the University. 



Dr. Graham, on a recent occasion, during his lectures on Botany, pronounced 

 a well-merited eulogium on the East India Company for their princely liberality 

 in the promotion of botanical science. We find that their garden at Calcutta 

 occupies a surface of several hundred acres, and there are more than 300 labourers 

 employed in it. A number of collectors, paid by the company, are constantly 



• travelling over the countries subjected to its dominion, and continually enriching 

 the garden and collection. This collection is immense, and has been the source 

 of numerous discoveries. Dr. Roxburgh, at a former period, gave a glimpse of 

 the treasures it contains ; and Dr. Wallich is now opening them to view. But 



i besides the great labours of Roxburgh and Wallich, there are others which have 

 been protected or encouraged by the Company. Messrs. Koenig, Heyne, Carey, 

 Patrick Russel, Rottler, Klein, Wight, Finlayson, &c. have traversed various 

 parts of India, witli the view of studying its vegetation. All the collections of 

 dried plants which had been made by these travellers for nearly fifty years past, 

 were sent to London, and presented to the Company's museum. The immensity 



■ of these materials made the directors feel that it was impossible to render them 

 useful without the co-operation of a great number of observers. By an order re- 



. markable for its liberality, the Court of Directors has instructed Dr. Wallich, 

 who is now for a time in London, to distribute these valuable collections as pre- 

 sents to the principal botanists of Europe, taking proper measures to secure the 

 publication of them. This liberal distribution has already commenced, and it is 

 probable, that from this act of generosity of the Company, we shall see within a 

 few years the whole of the plants collected in the East Indies increasing the mass 

 of known vegetables. The number of them is estimated to be at least from 7000 

 to 8000 species, and every one may easily conceive how many facts, ideas, and 

 new analogies will result from this increased addition to our present botany. 

 " The East India Company," says M. De CandoUe, " has thus acquired the 

 most honourable title to the gratitude of the savans of all countries ; and we are 



. very sure that every friend of science will applaud this great act of liberality, and 

 join with us in expressing his gratitude." 



Meeting of Scottish Naturalists.. — We are gratified in being able to inform 

 our readers, that the proposal we mentioned in our last number is to be carried 

 out. A private meeting of the naturalists of this neighbourhood wiU this sum- 

 mer be held over the festive board, and arrangements will then be made for or- 

 ganizing a general meeting on ensuing years. 



Dr. Wallich has been elected a member of the Academie Royale des Sciences 

 de.rinstitut de France. 



The Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin has elected Messrs. Poisson and 

 Arago corresponding members of the Academy, in the room of Laplace and 

 Volta, deceased. 



Necrology — M. Fourier, Member and Perpetual Secretary of the Academy of 

 Sciences, died on the 19th of May, in his sixtieth year. He was one of the aa- 



