(lotcrmiiiod, if possible, to finish the works he Imd in linn<1, nnd lie Inhored nlmost 

 nii^lit and dav to do so. He first, with the assistance of his draii'.'-litsmim, finished 

 a ])hin for Baron Rothschild, then one for Mr. Kicardo, another for Mr. Tinder, 

 and, finally, a jilan for the cemetery at IJath. lie had also enfratred to make some 

 additional alterations in the grounds of Mr. Fuller at Streatliain ; he went there 

 on the 11th of October, but he was unable to go into the garden ; this was the 

 last time he ever attempted to visit any place professionally, lie continued, 

 however, to walk in the ojien air in his own garden, and in the grounds of Mr. 

 Ilopgood, nurseryman, at Craven Hill, for two or three days longer, though his 

 strength was fast decreasing; and, after the IGth of October, he did not leave 

 the house, but confined himself to his bedroom and a drawingroora on the same 

 floor. Nothing could be more awful than to watch him during the few weeks 

 that yet remained of his life. His body was rapidly wasting away, but his mind 

 remained in all its vigor, and he scarcely allowed himself any rest in his eagerness 

 to complete the works that he had in hand. He was particularly anxious to finish 

 his Self- Instruction for Young Gardeners, which is published nearly in the state 

 he left it, though, had he lived, it w^ould probably have been carried to a much 

 greater extent. About the middle of November, the medical men who attended 

 my poor husband pronounced his disease to have become chronic bronchitis; and 

 this information, combined with the pressure of pecuniary difficulties, had a power- 

 ful effect upon him. He now made an effort that can only be estimated by those 

 who knew the natural independence of his mind, and the pain it gave him to ask 

 even a trifling favor. He wrote a letter stating his situation, and that the sale of 

 three hundred and fifty copies of the Arboretum would free him from all his em- 

 barrassments. This letter he had lithographed, and he sent copies of it to all 

 the nobility who took an interest in gardening. The result was most gratifying. 

 The letter was only dated the 1st of December, and he died on the 14th of that 

 month ; and yet, in that short space of time, the noblemen he appealed to, with 

 that kindness which always distinguishes the English aristocracy, purchased books 

 to the amount of £360. Mr. Loudon had intended to forward similar letters to 

 all the landed proprietors and capitalists ; though only a few were sent, they were 

 responded to with equal kindness. Our munificent and noble-minded friend, 

 Joseph Strutt, Esq., took ten copies, and letters from two of our kindest friends 

 (William Spence, Esq., and Robert Chambers, Esq.), ordering copies of the 

 Arboretum, arrived the very day he died. 



This appeal was principally rendered necessary by the pecuniary difficulties I 

 have alluded to, and which, undoubtedly, hastened his death. The debt on the 

 Arboretum, which, as already stated, was originally £10,000, had, by the sale of 

 that book and of the Cottage Architecture, been reduced to £2,400 ; but he had 

 incurred an additional debt of £1,200 by publishing the Encychpoidia of Trees 

 and Shrubs, his edition of Repton, and other works, on his own account, though 

 all his creditors agreed to the same terms, viz : to wait for their money until they 

 were paid by the sale of the works themselves, on condition of Messrs. Longman 

 holding the stock of books in trust, and not paying any of the proceeds of the 

 works to Mr. Loudon till the demands of his creditors were fully satisfied. Un- 

 fortunately, however, one of the creditors, the engraver, became a bankrupt, and 

 his assignees began to harass Mr. Loudon for the debt due them, which was about 

 £1,500, threatening to make him a bankrupt, to arrest him for the sum, &c. I 

 believe they could not have carried their threats into execution without the con- 

 sent of the other creditors, and who behaved most kindly and honorably through- 

 But the agitation attendant on the numerous letters and consultatio 

 ipecting this affair, proved fatal to my poor husband. 



