332 ASA GRAY. 



In 1887, just before he started on his last European journey, he finished 

 a small book giving in an abbreviated form the substance of the Struc- 

 tural Botany, as well as some chapters on Cryptogams ; and for this his 

 latest text-book he revived the title of his earliest work, " Elements of 

 Botany." 



The " Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States," of which 

 the first edition appeared in 1847, needs no words of praise here. 

 There are probably few members of the Academy who do not own, or 

 have not at some time owned, a copy of this model work. Occasionally 

 some over-wise person has discovered that certain plants grow a few 

 inches taller or bloom a few days earlier than is stated in the " Manual " ; 

 but the botanist is yet to be born who could write a more clear, accu- 

 rate, and compact account of the flora of any country. The only 

 regret is that he could not have written manuals for all parts of the 

 country. 



Dr. Gray had the rare faculty of being able to adapt himself to all 

 classes of readers. With the scientific he was learned, to the student 

 he was instructive and suggestive, and he charmed the general reader 

 by the graceful beauty of his style, while to children he was simplicity 

 itself. The little books, " How Plants Grow," and " How Plants Be- 

 have," found their way where botany as botany could not have gained 

 an entrance, and they set in motion a current which moved in the gen- 

 eral direction of a higher science with a force which can hardly be esti- 

 mated. His scientific friends, especially those abroad, sometimes 

 blamed him for spending time in popular writing ; but he may have 

 understood himself and his surroundings better than they. With him 

 botany was a pleasure, as well as a business. Few wrote as easily as he, 

 and, so long as he spent most of his time in higher work, he certainly 

 had a right to amuse himself with writings of a popular character if he 

 chose. As it was, he interested a multitude of readers in the subjects 

 which he had at heart, and if he was not permitted to live to see the 

 completion of his greatest work, "The Synoptical Flora," he at least 

 was able to leave the work at a point where it could be continued by a 

 trusted friend, in sympathy with all his plans. 



As a reviewer he was certainly extraordinary. Some of his reviews 

 were, in reality, elaborate essays, in which, taking the work of another 

 as a text, he presented his own views on important topics in a masterly 

 manner. Others were technically critical, while some were simply 

 concise and very clear summaries of lengthy works. Taken collectively, 

 they show better than any other of his writings the literary excellence 



