JOURNAL OP HORTIODLTORE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



[ May 24, 1877. 



utmost perfection hy hia taate and care. The late John Soott 

 of Amwell has celebrated it and paid a jast tribate to the 

 character of its owner in one of his poems ; and Mr. Maurice, 

 with whose various talents the public are well acquainted, has 

 in an elegant poem given an animated description of the villa, 

 and of the interesting scenery and beautiful landscapes with 

 which it abounds. In this charming retreat Dr. Letteom had 

 formed a museum of natural history, consisting of many rare 

 and valuable specimens, as well as a botanic garden enriched 

 with the choicest plants, brought at a great expense from the 

 four quarters of the globe, all arranged according to the 

 Linniean system. The library was ample, and contained such 

 a collection of books in all languages and on all sciences as few 

 private gentlemen could boast of being possessed of; but in 



those that relate to natural history (the doctor's f avoatite atndy) 

 it more particularly abounded. 



In 1800 his domestic happiness received a severe interrup- 

 tion from the death of his eldest son, Dr. John Lettsom. 



Mr. Charles DiUy, who died in 1807, an old friend of Dr. 

 Lettsom, left him a legacy of £500 ; and Dr. Anthony Fother- 

 gill, who died in 1813, thus expressed in his will his opinion of 

 and regard for him : — " To Dr. Lettsom, my silver medal of 

 Capt. Cook ; also, in consideration of his kindly undertaking 

 to publish a collection of my essays, my gold stop-watch, and 

 a cane with his own cipher, which he gave me, and which I 

 have walked with many years, with grateful remembrance 

 of the donor." After appropriating £1000 towards the ex- 

 pense of selecting and publishing his works, Dr. Fothergill 



adds, " I hope my worthy friend and learned physician Dr, 

 Lettsom will do it, with hia wonted accuracy and discrimina- 

 tion." The benefilB which Dr. Lettsom was likely to derive 

 from some still more considerable pecuniary bequests of Dr. 

 Fothergill he did not live to enjoy, but he paid a just tribute 

 of respect to the testator in an oration delivered at a meeting 

 of the Medical Society. 



Amongst the most remarkable public services that Dr. Lett- 

 som rendered his country were his contest with and complete 

 conquest of the famous water doctor Mayersbach ; the share 

 he took in forming the general dispensary in Alderegate Street 

 (the parent of so many other of those excellent institutions) ; 

 hia early attention to the Royal Humane Society; and his 

 fouuding the Medical Society in Bolt Court ; and the General 

 Sea-Bathing Infirmary at Margate, planned wholly by himself. 



With Dr. Lettsom, and his friends Dr. Warner and Mr. 

 Nichols, originated in 178G the idea of erecting a statue in 

 honour of Howard the philanthropist. The modestj of that 

 excellent man checked the intentions of his friends at that time ; 

 but the idea was carried into effect after his death, and the 

 monument was the first introduced into St. Paul's Cathedral. 



In 1812 he associated himself with the Philosophical Society 

 of London, of which he was soon after chosen the President. 

 To this institution he was ardently attached. 



Dr. Lettsom's writings are very numerous, as well moral as 

 medical, and all of them discover the philanthropist and 

 physician. We select a few :^ 



" The Natural History of the Tea Tree, with Observations 

 on the Medical Qualities of Tea and Effects of Tea-drinking." 

 " The Naturalist's and Traveller's Companion, containing In- 

 structions for Collecting and Preserving Objects of Natural 

 History." " An Account of the Culture and Use of the Man- 

 gold Wurzel, or Boot of Scarcity. Translated from the French 

 of the AbbC de Commereil ; 1787." " Hints for Promoting a 

 Bee Society. Two editions ; 1790, 870." 



NEPENTHES SANGDINEA. 



Ddrino the recent visit of Her Majesty to the flower show 

 at South Kensington it was observed that the Queen paid 

 especial attention to the display of Pitcher-plants. These 

 plants are so carious and beautiful in aspect and structure 



