59 



not only left to the Garden of this University his valuable herbarium, 

 and his richhbrary which includes some scarce works that are even 

 wanting to that most complete of botanical libraries, the Banksian j 

 but he also bequeathed a sum of 3000/. to the l/niversity, that with 

 the interest thence arising a Professor of Botany might be supported. 

 It is well known that the first person who received this salary was a 

 German, Dillenius. — A Regius Professor, paid by Government, was 

 appointed in 1793 ; and this individual was the celebrated Sibthorpe, 

 whose herbarium (now in the hands of Sir J. E. Smith for the pub- 

 lication of the Flora Gnzca) belongs likewise to the University. A 

 circumstance which stamps with increased value the herbaria of 

 Dillenius, Sherard, and Bobart, is, that the two first have, annexed to 

 their well preserved specimens, the synonyms and references of co- 

 temporary authors, particularly those of Plukenet, Petiver, and Sloane, 

 in their respective handwritings, as that of Sibthorpe bears the Lin- 

 nsean names ; by which the very frequent old synonyms are well 

 elucidated. I suggested to Professor Wilhams the advantage that 

 would arise from causing some young botanist to draw up a com- 

 plete catalogue of the plants in the collection of Dillenius and She- 

 rard, copying at the same time the synonyms, which after a previous 

 revision might be pubhshed. The science of botany, or at least its 

 history, would thus, in my opinion, gain immensely. It is much 

 to be desired, in general, that a hst of all the great Herbaria were 

 printed ; each plant having its place of growth and first describer 

 noted : this would offer great facihties to the compilers of future 

 monographs on different genera ; —at least a person would know where 

 to look for what he might otherwise long seek in vain. 



Professor Williams related to me the following anecdote respecting 

 Linnffius, which is traditionally preserved in the Oxford Garden, 

 and which deserves to be also known in Germany. — Linnasus pre- 

 sented himself at Oxford to Dillenius and Sherard, being then a very 

 young man, and his system having as yet made but little noise in 

 the world of science. The latter received him with cordiality ; but 

 Dillenius was very cool, and said to Sherard, " This is the young 

 fellow who is putting all botanists and botany into confusion." Lin- 

 nseus did not understand the English language, in which this remark 

 was made, but yet he recognized in the word caujiuschjen (so pro- 

 nounced by Dillenius in his German accent), the Latin epithet covfusio. 



