LINNEAN SOCIETY OP LONDON. I 7 



men who possessed a deeper insight into the organization of plants- 

 or animals, as well as a deeper sense of the responsibilities that 

 attach to scientific work. I have been confirmed in this view by a 

 perusal of this correspondence ; and if there is any one who still 

 entertains some doubts as to whether Rafinesque has been mis- 

 judged or harshly treated, I recommend him to read these letters. 

 Jiatinesque was a man deeply to be commiserated, not merely on 

 account of the unfortunate circumstances which left hioi in his 

 youth to himself, without teacher or guide, but still more on the 

 ground of that natural disposition by which his universal failure in 

 life was brought about. He was possessed by a feverish restlessness 

 which entirely disqualified him for serious study of any of the 

 multitudinoiis subjects which attracted his mind in rapid succession. 



To Swainson he was of great service, especially during their 

 joint residence at Palermo ; they made many collecting excursions 

 into parts of Sicily which would have been inaccessible to Swainson 

 on account of his want of acquaintance with the language and 

 the habits of the people. Here it was also that Eatinesque 

 introduced him to the rich Fish-fauna of the Sicilian coast, and he 

 continued to supply him with specimens when Swainson had left 

 for Messina. 



Swainson's biographer tells us that after his return to England 

 in 1815 he relinquished the public service, staying with his father 

 at Liverpool for rather more than a year. Of course, in so short 

 a time he could not make any progress with the arrangement of 

 any of his Mediterranean collections, but he sent his Cryptogams to 

 William Hooker for examination. He entered also into corre- 

 spondence with Sir J. E. Smith and Sir J. Banks, especially with 

 the view of obtaining their assistance for his intended expedition 

 to Brazil. But of greater interest to us are the letters which about 

 this time he began to receive from John Abbot of Savannah in 

 Greorgia, whose skill as an entomological draughtsman was unsur- 

 passed by any of his contemporaries. Although Swainson's inter- 

 course with him was rather of a business character. Abbot gives us 

 by his letters an insight into his pursuits and method of work, 

 Swainson could not have been in simultaneous correspondence with 

 two naturalists more iitterly dissimilar in character than Eafinesque 

 and Abbot. The latter appears as a simple, modest man, devoted 

 to steady plodding work, carefully following up some course of 

 observation, and concentrating his extraordinary artistic gift on a 

 branch of Natural History which was abundantly represented in 

 his neighbourhood and which excited his admiration. Although 

 he had no ambition to be an author, he committed to paper his 

 observations on the life-histories of Lepidoptera, and a selection of 

 them was edited and published by Sir J. E. Smith. He made 

 collections of Insects and drawings to order at a prearranged price. 

 It is interesting to note that even at that early period the changes 

 in the Fauna and Flora of the United States were already apparent. 

 Abbot expresses his apprehension that the progress of civilization 



LINK. SOC. PKOCEBDINGS. — SESSION" 1899-1900. C 



