R. n. SCHOMBURGK. 1^ 



strangers to take a deeper interest in the improve- 

 ment of the productions of the colony, and, above all, 

 in that of the moral and religious condition of the 

 Indian tribes, who seem so capable of cultivation, 

 and of being most usefully employed in assisting to 

 spread still further the higher blessings of civiliza- 

 tion. 



Robert Hermann Schomburgk, descended from 

 an old family, which it was said came originally 

 from Denmark, was born on the 5th June 1804, 

 at Freyburg on the Unstrect, a small town in the 

 Prussian province of Saxony, in the government 

 district of Merseburg, where his father, a Pro- 

 testant minister, at the time resided, and to whose 

 care he was indebted for the rudiments of his edu- 

 cation. His love for botany developed itself at an 

 early period, and a small spot in his father's garden 

 being given up to him, soon displayed a collection 

 of flowers, which, although transplanted only from 

 the neighbouring woods or meadows, were dis- 

 tinguished for their beauty or curiosity. Being 

 intended for the mercantile world, the study of 

 modem languages was early commenced, and the 

 boy had left his paternal home and entered on his 

 intended profession before he had reached his four- 

 teenth year; but although yielding to the wishes 

 of his relations, his love for plants did not leave 

 him in the counting-house, and whenever a leisure 

 moment permitted it, he eagerly pursued his fa- 

 vourite study. In 1823 he entered the counting- 



