256 Royal Society : Anniversary 1841 : Obituary notices. 



a desire of iniprovenient. His great aim was to inspire and diffuse 

 a taste for tlie study of botany by rendering it popular among all 

 ranks. His library, which contained the richest collection of works 

 on that subject, and the volumes of his /tortus siccus, were always 

 open to those who wished to consult them. Often has he been known 

 to discontinue researches which he had commenced, on finding that 

 a similar design was entertained by another person ; and he hastened, 

 on these occasions, to communicate to this inquii'er his own views 

 on the subject, to place in his hands the materials he had collected, 

 and to put him in possession of the fruits of his own experience. His 

 sole object was the advance of knowledge ; and whether this was 

 effected by himself or by others was to him a matter of total indif- 

 ference. 



De CandoUe had been visibly declining in health for some years 

 before his end. The sudden death of Cuvier had impressed him 

 with the apprehension that a similar fate might be impending ; and 

 that he himself might, in like manner, be cut off before he had ac- 

 complished the great works in which he was then engaged. He, in 

 consequence, resolved to set aside all other occupations, and con- 

 centrate all his efforts in completing those more important designs. 

 During the last year of his life he undertook, with the vain hope of 

 improving his strength, a long journey, in the course of which he at- 

 tended the scientific meeting lield at Turin, where, as might be ex- 

 pected, he met with the most flattering and cordial reception. His 

 death took place on the 9th of September, IS^l, in the 64th year of 

 his age*. 



* All oration by M. Rigaud, the Syndic of Geneva, pronounced at the 

 " Conseil Reprcsenlatif," on the 27th of September, is the source which has 

 supplied the information here given with regard to De Candolle. The fol- 

 lowing is a catalogue of such of his works as are in the library of the Royal 

 Society : — 



1. Essai sur les propri^tes medicales des plantes, comparees avec leurs 

 formes extericures et leur classification naturelle. 8vo. Paris, 1816. 



2. Regni vegetabilis systema naturale; sive ordines, genera, et species 

 plantaruni secundum methodi naturalis normas ; vol. 1 et 2 : 8vo. Parisiis, 

 1818 et 1821. 



3. Theorie el^iaentaire de la Botanique, seconde edition, 8vo. Paris, 1819. 

 (The first edition appeared in 1813.) 



4. Prodronius systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis ; sive enumeratio con- 

 tracta ordinum, geueruni, specierumque plantarum hucusque cognitarum, 

 juxta methodi naturalis normas digesta: p.irtes I. — IV. Svo. Parisiis, 1824 

 —1830. 



5. M^moire sur la famille des Legumineuses ; 4to. Paris, 1825. 



6. Plantes rares du Jardin de Geneve ; livraisons I. — III.; 4to. Geneve, 

 1826. 



7. Organographie Vegetalc, ou Description raisonnee des plantes ; 2 vols. 

 Svo. Paris, 1827. (This work has been translated into German by Meissner, 

 in 1828.) 



8. Collection de m6moires pour servir a I'histoire du Regne Vegetal : 1°. 

 Memoire sur la famille de Melastoniacees ; 2°. Memoire sur la famille des 

 Crassulacees : 2 vols. 4to. Paris, 1828. 



9. Memoire sur la famille des OmbeHiferes; 4to. Paris, 1829. 



