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a practical botanist. His library is rich in botany, 

 and especially in Italian history and poetry. I 

 fancy myself at Lorenzo's own villa. I expect my 

 friend Caldwell from Dublin every day, and have 

 some hopes of Mr. Griffiths coming to see me. 

 Two Miss Gleggs, very fine girls, his neighbours, 

 have lately been here : one of them is a botanist, 

 and we have had some rambles together. 



The most interesting place I have seen, in itself, 

 is Mr. Blundell's, of Ince, — rich in a profusion of 

 antique sculptures, pictures, and marbles. We had 

 much entertaining talk about Italy, as he has often 

 been there. 



I just saw my old friend Broussonet for a few 

 days : he touched at London in his way from Tene- 

 riffe to France. He is going to be professor of 

 botany at Montpellier. 



Yours most truly, 



J. E. Smith. 



As a botanist, Mr. Roscoe is distinguished for 

 having thrown the best light upon the Scitamhica, 

 a splendid tribe of plants, previously but little un- 

 derstood, — " a very natural and important order, the 

 eighth among the Fr-aginenta of Linnaeus, and equi- 

 valent to the Ca?i7icB of Jussicu. Its name alludes 

 to the aromatic qualities of most of the species, and 

 particularly to the use made of some of them in 

 cookery or in medicine, — scitamentum being ex- 

 pressive of anything rendered grateful to the palate 

 by seasoning or other preparation. Accordingly the 

 Ginger, Turmeric, Zcdoary, and various sorts of 



