114 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
* * * The State ought to feel that it owes you much for 
so much public spirit, and so well directed.’’ 
Mr. Shaw has told Professor Trelease, the present Di- 
rector of the Garden, that he had at one time planned a grand 
School of Botany, with residences for the faculty, labora- 
tories, ete., opposite the main gate; but abandoned the pro- 
ject because of the wise advice of Dr. Asa Gray, who said 
that the experiment should be tried in a small way first; as 
such things cannot be forced, but must grow. 
In the summer of 1866 Mr. Shaw was fortunate enough to 
secure the services of Mr. James Gurney, from the’ Royal 
Botanical Garden in Regent’s Park, London, whose practical 
knowledge and experience, and faithful and conscientious 
devotion to his various duties, won the entire confidence of 
his employer, and contributed very largely to make Garden 
and Park what they now are. Mr. Shaw’s personal super- 
vision of both was, however, never abandoned ; and in this 
congenial employment, and in perfecting arrangements for 
the continuance of the noble work he had so well begun, the 
iast twenty-five years of his life were happily and appro- 
priately spent. Until the summer of 1885 he had not been 
out of St. Louis for nearly twenty years, except for a drive 
to the neighboring village of Kirkwood to dine with a friend. 
During the heated term of the year mentioned, he became 
so much debilitated that his physician insisted upon a change 
of climate. He went to Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, 
spending some time at Lakeside on Pewaukee Lake, not 
far from Milwaukee. He returned greatly improved and 
resumed with renewed zeal his usual avocations. But he 
had passed far beyond the boundary line of three score and 
ten, and realized the truth of the old verse: 
“For age will rust the brightest blade, 
And time will break the stoutest bow; 
Was never wight so starkly made 
But time and age will lay him low.” 
On the 24th of July, 1889, he received numerous visitors 
to congratulate him upon the commencement of his ninetieth 
year. He was weak physically, though able to meet them 
in the drawing-room at Tower Grove, and his mind was 
