By Thomas Bruges Flower, Esq. 81 



Soufk Division. 

 3. Sonth-7oest District. Boyton. First discovered by the late 

 A. B. Lambert/ Esq., aud Professor Don, in 1829, growing in great 



' This eminent botanist was born at Bath on the 2nd of February, 1761. His 

 father, Edmiiad Lambert, Esc[., of Boyton House, near Heytesbury, married 

 Bridget, daughter of the last Viscount Mayo, and his only surviving child, 

 through whom Mr. Lambert inherited the family property and the name of 

 Bourke. He was educated at St. Mary's Hall, in the University of Oxford, and 

 attaching himself early in life to botanical pursuits, joined the Linnean Society 

 at its foundation, and became one of its warmest friends and promoters. In 

 1791 he also became a Fellow of the Royal Society. On succeeding to his 

 paternal estate he was enabled to indulge his taste for botany more freely, and 

 laboured with great ardour and success to increase his herbarium, which at 

 length acquired the character of being one of the most valuable and important 

 private collections in existence. Of this herbarium and of the several collections 

 from which it was chiefly formed, an account has been given by my late lamented 

 friend. Professor Don, who for many years acted as its curator, and who had 

 also charge of Mr. Lambert's extensive botanical library. The collections were 

 at all times most liberally opened by their possessor for the use of men of science, 

 and one day in the week (Saturday) was constantly set apart for the reception 

 of scientific visitors, travellers, and others, who either brought with them or 

 sought for information on botanical subjects. 



Mr. Lambert's separate publications are two in number : " A Description of 

 the Genus Cinchona" London, 1797, 4to, and " A Description of the Genus 

 Finns," London, 1803 — 24, in two vols, folio. Of the latter work, which is 

 one of the most splendid botanical publications that has ever issued from the 

 press, a second edition, with additions, was published in 1828, and a third volume 

 was added in 1834. A small edition in two vols. 8vo. was also published in 

 1832. His other works consist entirely of papers scattered through the volumes 

 of the "Linnean Transactions." 



Mr. Lambert's health had for some years bpen failing, and he had ceased to 

 visit his country-seat at Boyton, but preferred, when out of town, taking up 

 residence at Kew — where his proximity to the Royal Gardens, and to his friends 

 in town, afforded him more copious sources of enjoyment than he could have 

 found elsewhere. He died at Kew, on the 10th of January, 1842, and his re- 

 mains were removed to Boyton for interment. He married Catharine, daughter 

 of Richard Bowater, Esq., of Allesley, in the county of "Warwick, but was left 

 a widower, without any family, some years before his death. After his decease 

 his valuable " Botanical Collections," which had been in the course of formation 

 for more than half-a-century, were disposed of by auction, in London, by Mr, 

 S. Leigh Sotheby. It comprised about one hundred separate and distinct her- 

 baria, and the largest carpological collection perhaps ever made by a private 

 botanist. His Wiltshire collections, to which he devoted much time and study, 

 were likewise dispersed, and it is to be regretted they were not secured to the 

 county by some of his friends, not only for future reference and study, but also 

 as a memento of this distinguished man of science. — I'.B.F. 



VOL. XIV. NO. XL. H 



