HISTORY OF BOTANY. 81 



In Robert Brown we have a botanist with whom it is a 

 satisfaction to bring to a close the first part of this work. 

 He was not only a great botanist, but a great traveller ; he 

 was not only of world-wide fame, but was one of that kind 

 of men whose life seems to have a mysterious influence on 

 the heart. Scratchy pens cease to spirt, and acrid ink 

 becomes more kindly in writing of them, and so their 

 memory is handed down from one to another ; we cannot 

 tell exactly how this is, though we might recall several 

 instances. Such a one was Robert Brown. 



To quote one of his biograiohers* he was " one of the 

 most distinguished botanists that Britain ever produced." 

 He was the son of a Scotch Episcopalian clergyman, and was 

 bom at Montrose, in 1778, was educated at Marischal 

 College, Aberdeen, and afterwards studied at Edinburgh, 

 attending the lectures of Dr. Rutherford, Professor of 

 Botany, in the University. After passing his examination 

 at the College of Surgeons, he was appointed assistant 

 surgeon and ensign to a regiment of Scotch fencibles, 



implies. Many would think 1000 specimens in all was a fair collection ; 

 hear Lindley as to keeping specimens well an-anged : — " We constantly 

 find botanists emban-assed by multitudes of unarranged specimens. As 

 this is a great evil, I trust that a few hints may not be without their 

 use ; especially as by attending to them myself I have probably not 

 500 unaiTanged specimens in a herbarium of more than 30,000 species." 

 So 500 specimens was to him a mere bagatelle,— practically the same 

 as having his di-awer empty ! 



■■' Professor Balfom* in 'Imperial Dictionaiy of Universal Bio- 

 gi-aphy.' This short sketch of the life and works of Eobert Brown is 

 chiefly taken from that som-ce. There is a Gei*man translation of his 

 works fi'om 1825 to 1834, in five volumes, by Dr. C. G. Nees von 

 Esenbeck, in conjunction with some friends, the two first published 

 in Leipsic, and the others at Niirnberg. These include an account of 

 his Aush-aUan discoveries, a Flora of New Holland and Van Dieman's 

 Land, and numerous other works. 



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