1840.] Linnean Society. 69 



assisted by a father whose classical learning was of a high order. 

 For about a twelvemonth he was placed under the tuition of the Rev. 

 James Parken, Master of the Grammar School at Penzance, to which 

 town his family removed for that purpose ; but he soon returned 

 to Tredrea, which was long afterwards his favourite abode, to pursue 

 his studies in a manner more congenial to his feelings. He had by 

 this time formed a taste for mathematical investigations, in which 

 he was aided by the knowledge, freely and kindly imparted, of the 

 Rev. Malachi Hitchins of St. Hilary, a man whose name is well 

 known and respected by practical astronomers. In the year 1782 

 he removed with his family to Bristol, and continued to cultivate the 

 severer sciences with undiminished ardour. On the 12th of April, 

 1785, he entered as a Gentleman Commoner of Pembroke College 

 in the University of Oxford, and soon attracted the notice of many 

 of its Professors and Senior Residents. He resided pretty constantly 

 there from his matriculation, except during the long vacations, till 

 the year 1789, when he became an Honorary Master of Arts, but still 

 continued to make long visits to his old College. 



In November, 1791, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, 

 and formed a connexion with Dr. Maskelyne, Sir Joseph Banks, 

 Mr. Cavendish, and other eminent members of that body, which 

 terminated only with their lives. Though the sciences dependent 

 on and connected with mathematics were the chief objects of his 

 early studies, he was far from inattentive to the claims of Natural 

 History on a portion of his leisure. He cultivated chiefly that 

 branch of it which embraces the vegetable kingdom ; and an ac- 

 quaintance formed in Cornwall with Dr. Withering, as well as his 

 friendship with Dr. Beddoes and Dr. Sibthorp at Oxford, contri- 

 buted to the same end. He became a Fellow of the Linnsean So- 

 ciety in 1792, in which year he also served the office of Sheriff for 

 his native county. In the year 1804 he was chosen one of the re- 

 presentatives of the borough of Helston, and in 1806 was returned 

 in a new Parliament for that of Bodmin. In this seat he continued 

 till the year 1832, when he ceased to be a member of the legislature. 

 During the whole time of his continuance in Parliament, he was the 

 encourager and indefatigable supporter of every measure connected 

 with the advancement of science ; and by his representations and 

 exertions many services were rendered to various scientific societies 

 and institutions, in promoting whose prosperity and usefulness he 

 was incessantly and zealously occupied. He took a prominent part 

 in the inquiry relating to the currency, and published in 1811 a 

 plain statement of the bullion question ; and he was also very 



