158 Obituary. — Mr. James Dickson. 



senting himself to Sir Joseph Banks, wlio received him with 

 great kindness, encouraged him in his pursuits, and gave him 

 access to his valuable library. He thus obtained the free use 

 of one of the most complete collections of works upon botany 

 and natural history, which has ever yet been formed; and 

 which, through the liberality of its possessor, has contributed 

 in a greater degree to the accommodation of scientific men, 

 and the general advancement of science, than many pubUc es- 

 tablishments. Such leisure hours as Mr. Dickson could com- 

 mand from his business, he devoted to an assiduous attendance 

 in this library, and to the perusal of scientific books obtained 

 from thence. In process of time he acquired great knowledge, 

 and became eminent among the English botanists, and is now 

 known in Europe among the pioficients in that science as one 

 of its most successful cStivators, and the author of some di- 

 stinguished works. At an advanced period of life he is still 

 active m business, and continues to pursue his botanical studies 

 with unabated ardour and assiduity. 



" Mr. Dickson is a Fellow of the Linnsean Society, of which he 

 ■was one of the original founders, and also Fellow and Vice-Presi- 

 dent of the Horticultural Society. Several communications from 

 him appear in different volumes of the Limiaean Transactions; 

 but he is principally known among botanists by a work en- 

 titled " Fasciculi Quatuor Plantarum Cryptogamicarum Bri- 

 tanniee," Lond. 1785-93 ; in which he has described upwards 

 of four hundred plants not before noticed. H9 has the merit 

 of having directed the attention of the botanists of this country 

 to one of the most abstrsue and difficult parts of that science, 

 to the advancement of which he has himself very greatly con- 

 ti'ibuted. ) 



" Such an instance of successful industry united with a taste 

 for intellectual pursuits, deserves to be recorded ; not only on 

 account of its relation to the subject of this narrative, but 

 because it illustrates in a very striking and pleasing manner 

 the advantages of education in the lower classes of life. The 

 attention of the Scottish farmers and peasantry to the early 

 instruction of their children has been already remarked, and 

 is strongly exemplified in the history of Mr. Park's family. 

 The diffusion of knowledge among the natives of that part of 

 the kingdom, and their general intelligence, must be admitted 

 by every unprejudiced observer ; nor is there any country in 

 which the effects of education are so conspicuous in promoting 

 industry and good conduct, and in producing useful and re- 

 spectable men of the inferior and middle classes, admirably 

 fitted for all the important offices of common life." 



LEC- 



