102 



tany, and for the lighter branches of literature, were inconsistent 

 with the severe and condensed application which the fellowship 

 examination requires. 



Dr. Litton was probably decided to devote himself to the me- 

 dical profession by his predilection for the natural sciences, and by 

 his intimacy with the late eminent Dr. Robert Perceval, of Manches- 

 ter. He took his medical degree at Edinburgh, in the year 1806. 



In 1809, on the death of Dr. Robert Scott, he was a candidate for 

 the chair of botany in the University, to which the late Dr. AUman 

 was then elected. But soon afterwards he was elected Professor 

 of Natural Philosophy to the Dublin Institution, where he delivered 

 lectures that attracted much attention. He was also a Fellow of the 

 College of Physicians, one of the Physicians to the House of In- 

 dustry, and Professor of Natural History to the Apothecaries' 

 Hall. But he was chiefly known by his long connexion with the 

 Royal Dublin Society. He was elected Librarian to that institution 

 in 1814, and Professor of Botany in 1826, which latter office he en- 

 joyed till his death. 



In 1815 he was elected a member of the Academy, and in the 

 following year he was placed on the council, where he continued to 

 serve to the day of his death, a period of thirty-one years. In 1833 

 he was appointed Vice-President of the Academy, in which office 

 he continued until 1840, when he resigned to make way for the 

 new rule of rotation then agreed upon. 



His death was very sudden. On the day of his death he de- 

 livered his usual lecture in the Theatre of the Royal Dublin Society; 

 and afterwards, although he had been complaining during the day 

 of indisposition, he went to dine with a friend at Rathmines. He 

 left the house at eight o'clock, and after walking some distance, was 

 seized with such violent pains in the chest as to attract the notice of 

 a gentleman passing by, who kindly placed him on a car, and ac- 

 companied him to Dr. Leet's, in St. Stephen's-green, where he soon 

 after expired. His disease was angina pectoris, and his death took 

 place on the 4th of June, 1847.* 



* A short Memoir of Dr. Litton, with an engraving, has appeared in the 

 Dublin University Magazine. 



