278 William Oakes, the American Botanist 



Hampshire. Although he had repeatedly explored the mountain?, 

 and made their botany a special study in view of his projected New 

 England Flora, he insisted upon visiting once more those favourite 

 haunts, before committing his remarks upon their botany to writing. 

 The consequence was, that new problems were presented much faster 

 than they could be solved. The subject expanded in magnitude as 

 it rose in interest. One exploration led to another, and a large part 

 of every succeeding summer until the last, was untiringly devoted to 

 these favourite investigations, and to the collection and preparation of 

 literally hundreds of specimens, such as he alone could make, of 

 nearly every species that inhabits these mountains, from the forest 

 trees which cover their sombre slopes, to the low alpine flower and 

 mosses that cushion their woodless summits, and the hoar-rock lichens 

 that speckle their topmost crags. The space of a substantial volume 

 was now requisite to do justice to the enticing subject ; and the plan 

 was enlarged accordingly. The geology, mineralogy, and zoology of 

 the mountains claimed their share of attention : an excellent artist was 

 employed in making drawings of characteristic plants ; and, finally, 

 of phytostatic views and illustrations of the scenery, of rare faithful- 

 ness and accuracy. As it became desirable to complete and publish 

 these illustrations separately, in advance of the general work, to which 

 they were at first intended as an appendix, but which they now 

 threaten to overwhelm, Mr Oakes devoted his attention, and all 

 his available resources to having them properly lithographed and 

 published. After surmounting difficulties, one after another, which 

 would have driven any less resolved man to utter despair, after can- 

 celling plate after plate, which did not fulfil his expectations, Mr 

 Oakes had just succeeded in completing them, had sent the last sheet 

 of the text to the printer ; and, moreover, had just been perfectly 

 relieved from a temporary pecuniary embarrassment, in which it had 

 involved him, when, in a mysterious Providence, he was suddenly re- 

 moved from the scene of his labours, at the very moment they were 

 crowned with success. 



To detail the circumstances of the casualty by which a family-circle 

 was bereaved of a fond husband and father, while society lost an esti- 

 mable member, science an ardent votary, and many a naturalist a 

 warm and trusty friend, would not, under ordinary circumstances, 

 be either fitting or needful. But in this case, justice requires that 

 his memory should be retrieved from the mistaken judgment of a 

 hasty inquest, by a simple statement of the particulars of the melan- 

 choly occurrence, as they have been carefully collected by a friend 

 of the deceased, and communicated to the writer of this notice. It 

 appears, in brief, that Mr Oakes had been unwell during the pre- 

 vious week ; that he was occasionally subject to sudden attacks of ver- 

 tigo ; that he was indisposed, and took no breakfast on the morning 

 of the 31st, but left for Boston in an early train of cars, to arrange 

 some business there, and return if possible by the eleven o'clock train; 



