WILLIAM JACKSON HOOKER. 331 
brought into his hands, he delighted in setting other botanists 
to work on whatever portion they wished to elaborate ; not 
only imparting freely, even to young and untried men of 
promise, the multitude of specimens he could distribute, and 
giving to all comers full access to his whole herbarium, but 
sending portions of it to distant investigators, so long as this 
could be done without too great detriment or inconvenience. 
He not only watched for opportunities for attaching botanists 
to government expeditions and voyages, and secured the pub- 
lication of their results, but also largely assisted many private 
collectors, whose fullest sets are among the treasures of far 
the richest herbarium ever accumulated in one man’s lifetime, 
if not the amplest anywhere in existence. 
One of the later and not least important services which Sir 
William Hooker has rendered to botany is the inauguration, 
through his recommendation and influence, of a plan for the 
publication, under government patronage, of the Floras of the 
different British colonies and possessions, scattered over every 
part of the world. Some of these (that of Hongkong and 
that of the British West Indies} are already completed ; 
others (like that of Australia, and the Cape Flora of Harvey 
and Sonder, adopted into the series) are in course of publica- 
tion; and still others are ready to be commenced. 
The free and cordial way in which Hooker worked in con- 
junction with others is partly seen in the various names which 
are associated with his authorship. This came in part from 
the wide range of subjects over which his survey extended, 
a range which must have contributed much to the breadth of 
his views and the sureness of his judgment. Invaluable as 
such extent of study is, in the present state and prospects of 
our science we can hardly expect to see again a botanist so 
widely and so well acquainted both with Cryptogamic and 
Phanerogamic botany, or one capable of doing so much for 
the advancement and illustration of both. 
Our narrative of Sir William Hooker’s scientific career 
and our estimate of his influence has, we trust, clearly, though 
incidentally, informed our readers what manner of man he 
was. To the wide circle of botanists, in which he has long 
