Notices respecting New Books. 455 



of ihe first characters ; but it seems quite unnecessary. The 

 tacts speak for themselves. I want neither auxiliaries nor 

 substitutes ; nor shall I hereafter reply to any. 



I am, sir, 

 your obliged and faithful servant, 



Fin^bury Square , "• IvELLY. 



Dec. 28, 1811. 



LXXXV^. Notices respecting New Books. 



Hortus Elginensis ; or A Catalogue of Plants, indigenous and 

 exotic^ cultivated in the Elgin Botanic Garden, in the 

 vicinity of ihs City of New York. Eslahlished in 1801 

 by David Hossack, M.D. F.L.S. Professor of Botany 

 and Materia McHira in Cnlumhia College, Tylemher of the 

 American Philosophical Society, &c. Sd Edition enlarged, 

 pp. 76, Svo. New York, 1811, with a well executed View 

 of the Garden. 



A Statement of Facts relative to the Estallishment and Pro- 

 gress of the Elgin Botanic Garden, and the subsequent 

 Di':posnl of the mine to the State of New York. By 

 D. Hossack, M.D. l^c. pp. 58, Bvo. New York, 1811. 



In tlie "Statement of Facts," Dr. Hossack details the 

 difficulties, illiberal reflections, legal caution of the com- 

 missioners, and ail the various obstacles which he had to 

 encounter in selling his Botanic Garden to the State of 

 New York. These are so numerous and so vexatious, that 

 many ) ears must elapse before any other person will ven- 

 ture to dispose of his property to the State. Commissioner.s 

 were appointed by an act of the New York Legislature. 

 These men nominated appraisers, who estimated the ground, 

 consisting of twenty acres, and plants in the author's gar- 

 den at 103,137 dollars : but the commissioners, alter much 

 delay and hesitation, thought proper to pay Dr. H. with 

 only 74,i!8Sf- dollars : this sum, independent of ail his per- 

 sonal labour and attention during ten years, is more than 

 28,000 dollars less than he would have received for the mo- 

 ney he disbursed, at simple interest. To the legislators he 

 respectfully appeals for indemnity ; and if his very temperat'e 

 and just remtoDstrance does not meet due attention from the 

 legislature of New York, the con3cquences will ht more 

 injurious to the progress of science in America, and more 

 disirraccl'nl to the State, than the ijinonuit and sordid cilixens 

 at |)resent expect. The commissif)ners appear to have esti- 

 mated their own merit by the extent of the sum they could 



F f 4 withhold 



