362 Prof, Schultes on the 



150/. a year for the librarian, and 100/. annually to purchase 

 new books, and as much more to defray the expense of need- 

 ful repairs. This income would be quite inadequate to cover 

 the cost of procuring yearly the requisite new publications ; 

 but tliis desiralile object has been attained by an arrangement 

 with the Bodleian library. To the latter institution every 

 author in England is by law compelled to send a copy of his 

 book ; and the Bodleian has agreed to cede to the Iladcliffian 

 library all those upon medico-physical subjects. The expe- 

 rience which, as a naturalist and physician, Dr. Williams pos- 

 sesses, renders his services far more valuable to the institution 

 than the inefficient labours of the learned pedants, to whom 

 the office of librarian is frequently committed. The books are 

 arranged in ethnographical order. 



The country between Oxford and Henley, half-way back 

 to London, is so beautiful that we determined to perform this 

 distance on foot. Our expectations of a new Flora were not 

 however realized : except (Jlex eurapcEus, and in some places a 

 great number of ferns, we met with nothing more interesting 

 than what usually occurs with us. At Henley we took a stage- 

 coach, and passing the villas of Herschel and Banks, arrived 

 in London. 



To become properly acquainted with the botanists and state 

 of botany in London would require half a year at least, and 

 we had only half a month in which to attain this object ; and 

 were obliged to ceconomize every moment, as we had all the 

 hospitals also to visit. We particularly desired to make the 

 acquaintance of Mr. Don ; through whose means we hoped to 

 see the Linnaean Society, and the herbarium of Lambert. We 

 had been told so much of the politeness of this learned man, 

 that we hope he will ascribe the great degree of trouble which 

 we occasioned him, to the character for affability which he 

 every where possesses. The preference which the first botanists 

 in London have shown for Mr, Don, by entrusting their trea- 

 sures to his charge, is as honourable to themselves as to the 

 object of their choice ; and the " delightful science " is an 

 equal gainer. 



Mr. Don is a man in the flower of his age, and, like all the 

 Scotchmen whom we had the pleasure of knowing in London, 

 a person of remarkable frankness and candour. We are greatly 

 obliged to him for the reception which he was so kind as to 

 give us ; he obtained for us a view of the Linna;an Society's 

 apartments, Soho-square: a C^at hea ivom Nepaul stood on 

 the stairs, as high as the house ; it might have been used on its 

 voyage to Europe for the mast of a ship. The herbarium is 

 in the hall ; very beautifully arranged, with British elegance 



and 



