38 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Journal, A fuller account of its botany was contributed by you 

 to the ' Philosophical Transactions.' 



]\or were these the only fruits of your Mascarene studies. We 

 owe to you a finished account of the natural history of the genus 

 IlalopliiJa and a valuable eiiuuieration of the species of Pandanus. 

 Nearly forty years ago you undertook the botanical survey of 

 the Island of Socotra, tlie results of which, after eight years of 

 unremitting labour, were placed at our disposal in what must 

 remain a classic among regional floristic studies. Mindful of the 

 first business of the scientific traveller you secured data necessary 

 for the determiuatiou of the source of such historic drugs as 

 Socotrine Aloes and Dragon's blood. 



This, however, forms but a small part of the title you have 

 established to our admiration and our esteem. As a teacher of 

 four decades of the Scientia amnhilis you have exercised a power- 

 ful influence, in three several ancient and illustrious seats of 

 learning, on those who have advanced and are advancing natural 

 knowledge in the botanical field, and on the development of 

 modern methods of botanical training. Nor has that influence 

 been confined to these three schools. It has been exerted else- 

 where by your labour in providing us with vernacular versions of 

 erudite outland treatises and by the part you have played for now 

 nearly a quarter of a century as one of tlie founders and editors 

 of the ' Annals ' of that Science it is our honour to serve. As 

 the Keeper, during three decades, of a noble liortas vivas you have 

 throughout that period kept in the memory of a generation apt to 

 forget, how effective an instrument for the increase of natural 

 knowledge such an institution with its concomitant collections may 

 be. You have, moreover, at all times appi^eciated that fundamental 

 obligation which i-ests on those so circumstanced, to improve for 

 use the results of the investigations and researches there carried 

 out. How truly and how fully these duties have been fulfilled 

 is best realised by those who have followed your work in con- 

 nection with the botanical exploration of South-western China 

 and the North-eastern Himalayn, and have studied your contri- 

 butions to the natural and cultural history of such protean genera 

 as Primula and Rhododendron. 



Your trained advice has at all times been freely at the disposal 

 of botany, horticulture, and the mystery of healing, as your tried 

 judgment has been appreciated by the science, the craft, and the 

 art concerned. 



It was hoped, three years ago, that our Society might enjoy the 

 inestimable benefit of profiting by that advice and judgment as 

 the occupant of this Chair, and the regret that this could not be 

 has been felt more keenly by myself than it could be by any other 

 Fellow. My recompense has come in tlie privilege now accorded 

 to me of asking you on behalf of us all to accept this medal, the 

 highest honour that we can offer you, and to receive with it our 

 warm wish that you may long be spared to continue the work tliat 

 has served us as an example and an eucourasement. 



