Philosophical Character of Decandolle. 245 



Choisy, who, though principally occupied on the Philosophy of 

 the Human Mind, has nevertheless found time to publish seve- 

 ral profound memoirs on botanical subjects ; Vaucher, who 

 still retained at this late period of his life an ai'dour for natu- 

 ral history ; Moricand, the author of the Flora Venetiana and 

 other memoirs ; and, amongst foreigners, Blith, now Profes- 

 sor at Upsala ; ^Vydler, distinguished for researches on the 

 Impregnation of Plants ; Dr Macreight, now resident in Jer- 

 sey, who has since published an excellent Synopsis of British 

 Plants ; and others, whom I have not time to enumerate. 



His influence in the city of Geneva was proportionate to the 

 zeal he displayed, and to the talents he put forth, in the ad- 

 vancement and diffusion of botanical science. To him we owe 

 the foundation of the Botanical Garden at Geneva, as well as 

 of its Museum of Natural History, two institutions which were 

 created, mainly, at least, by his influence and exertions ;♦ and in 

 botany, so lively and so universal was the interest he inspired, 

 that when, on a certain occasion, he was called upon unexpect- 

 edly to return a collection of designs of Mexican plants, of 

 vv'hich he had obtained the loan, one hundred ladies of the place 

 came forward of their own accord, and in ten days completed 

 for him copies of no less than 1000 of these dra^vings, to take 

 the place of the originals which he was about to surrender. 



It was in the autumn of the year 1840 that I saw, for the 

 last time, at Geneva, the subject of this memoir. He was then 

 just returned from the Scientific Congress at Turin, where he 

 had been received with all the honours due to his distinguish- 

 ed talents, and to his long services in the cause of natural his- 

 tory. 



He appeared to me much broken in constitution, but with 

 his mental faculties unimpaired ; and although he spoke, as 

 might be expected, with some degree of despondency, as to the 

 prospects of his completing the Prodromus, the great object 

 of his ambition, he nevertheless dwelt with satisfaction on 



* He shewed much address in extracting subscriptions from his fellow- 

 citizens for the furtherance of these scientific objects. One of his friends he 

 ■would persuade to pay for the wood-vrork of a cabinet, another for the glass, 

 ■whilst a third ■would be prevailed upon to stock it with specimens. 



VOL. XXXIV. XC. LXVIII. APRIL 18-13. R 



