SCO Prof. Schultes on the 



Although the Oxford garden is inadequate to the purposes 

 of botanical instruction in the present state of science, and 

 though the excellent Dr. Williams has been prevented from 

 lecturing this year by the weakness of his sight, it yet pos- 

 sesses, in the library which has been judiciously added to it, 

 a treasure which no other institution of the kind can boast, 

 namely, the Herbarium and MSS. of Dillenius and of Sherard, 

 with the collection of books that had belonged to these two 

 Coryphi. The first contains almost all the original specimens 

 of Cryptogamia, figured by Dillenius in his work which is 

 now become very scarce ; and they are in very good preser- 

 vation. Perhaps Professor Williams will give us a new edi- 

 tion, with authentic and accurate copies of the plates in this 

 typographical rarity; and add to them the marginal notes of 

 Dillenius. William Sherard not only left to the garden of this 

 University his valuable herbarium, and his rich library which 

 includes some scarce works that are even wanting to that most 

 complete of botanical libraries, the Banksian ; but he also 

 bequeathed a sum of 3000/. to the University, that with the 

 interest thence arising a Professor of Botany might be sup- 

 ported. It is well known that the first person who received 

 this salary was a German, Dillenius. — A Regius Professor, 

 paid by Government, was appointed in 1793 ; and this indivi- 

 dual was the celebrated Sibthorpe, whose herbarium (now in 

 the hands of Sir J. E. Smith for the publication of the Flora 

 Grccca) belongs likewise to the University. A circumstance 

 which stamps with increased value the herbaria of Dillenius, 

 Sherard, and Bobart, is, that the two first have, annexed to 

 their well preserved specimens, the synonyms and references of 

 cotemporary authors, particularly those of Plukenet, Petiver, 

 and Sloane, in their respective handwritings, as that of Sib- 

 thorpe bears the Linnsean names; by which the very frequent 

 old synonyms are well elucidated. I suggested to Professor 

 Williams the advantage that would arise from causing some 

 young botanists to draw up a complete catalogue of the plants 

 in the collection of Dillenius and Sherard, copying at the same 

 time the synonyms, which after a previous revision might be 

 published. The science of botany, or at least its history, would 

 thus, in my opinion, gain immensely. It is much to be de- 

 sired, in general, that a list of all the great Herbaria were 

 printed ; each plant having its place of growth and first de- 

 scriber noted : this woujd offer great facilities to the compilers 

 of future monographs on different genera ; — at least a person 

 ivould know where to look for what he might otherwise long 

 seek iji vain. 



Professor Williams related to me the following anecdote re- 

 specting 



