CHAPTEE VII. 



SUPPLEMENTARY. 



Though I have thought it best not to prolong the fore- 

 gomg sketch beyond Linneus, I hesitate to omit a short 

 account of three illustrious botanists of our own country, who 

 were contemporaries, were of world-wide repute, and who 

 have not long since passed from us. I allude to Smith, 

 Lindley, and Brown, placing them in that order because the 

 two first have been so often mentioned in conjunction, or 

 02)position, in the last chapter, as representatives of two 

 systems, though chronologically Lindley should be placed 

 last. A brief notice of these authorities is not impertinent 

 to our subject, for they were all plant-namers of great 

 experience, but as they are exceptions to my general plan I 

 introduce them in a supplementary chapter. 



James Edward Smith was born at Norwich, 1759, and 

 received his first education at home. At eighteen years of 

 age he turned his attention earnestly to Botany, and wishing 

 to devote his life to medicine and natural science he went 

 in 1781 to Edinburgh, to prosecute his studies. While 

 there he was instrumental in forming a Society for the Study 

 of Natural History, and was elected first president. In 1783 

 he went to London to study under John Hunter and Dr^ 

 Pitcairn, and was introduced to most of the best scientific 



