the late Dr. Pul^ney. 299 



ences and varieties ; in drawing up lifts of thofe which he 

 had invcftioated ; in making memorandums ot the places in 

 whi! h he liad found thofe which were lefs common, and of 

 the traiural habitations of all ; and drew up, occafionally, 

 botanicid tables, as well illuftrative of the Linnaean fyftem, 

 as of other matters inlerefting to the accurate botanical 

 fludent. 



But while he attended fo diligently to the improvement of 

 his icnowledge in botany, he was not lefs diligent in the 

 lUidv of the theory and pradtice of medicine, of chemiftry, 

 and of every branch of icience which could contribute to the 

 advancement of his knowledge of that profeflion to which 

 he had dedicated the moft ferious buiinefs of his life, and in 

 which his fuccefs was no lefs remarkable than in his bo- 

 tanical purfuits. 



His moft favourite medical writer was the celebrated Fre- 

 deric Hoffman, whofe voluminous works he, read over and 

 over with indefatigable attention and perfeverance. Indeed, 

 in whatever ftudy he was engaged, his diligence was intenfe. 

 I have often known him to fit, when the engagements of his 

 profeflion did not call him from his ftudics, and have often 

 fat with him, for whole days together, without interruption, 

 but by the nccellary interpoiition of meals, to which, on fuch 

 occafions, we ufuallv turned with reluiStance. Sometimes, 

 when he was very intent upon a fubjeft, he had a habit, not 

 to be commended, of overipreading his pillows with books, 

 of reading, and referring from one to another; in fliort, of 

 fludying in bed till very late, fometimes till long after mid- 

 night. 



Thefe habits of clofe application, both bv day and night, 

 fcrved to render more delicate an originally weak conftitu- 

 tion; and might have been ferioufly pernicious in their con- 

 fequcnces had they not been fretjuenlly interrupted, and 

 fometimes for long intervals, by the neceflary bufinefs of his 

 profeflion, wliich, thou'ih not great, was not inconiiderable, 

 and by long botanical excurlioiis, which we ufed to make ou 

 foot, onqe or twice a week in the fummcr months, and not 

 rarely in thofe of fpring and autumn. 



He took great delight in the biftory of fcieijce and litera- 

 ture, and ot feientific and literary men ; in which be was a 

 moll diligent inquirer, and had collctled a flock of informa-* 

 tion, both publifhed and original, of which few men are pof» 

 fefled. But nothing leemed to give him fuch ex<]uif)tc ploa- 

 fure, or fo to excite in bim the ardour of eiitbufiafni, as th« 

 lives and travels of naturalifls ; and efpecially the herborizing 

 adventures, the great fatigues, the bair-breadllv efcapes, the 



difeo'.uaging 



