Mr. John Bar tram. 117 



be very useful ; and, in many instances, he gave great 

 relief to his poor neighbours, who were unable to ap- 

 ply for medicines and assistance to the physicians of 

 the city (Philadelphia). It is extreme}) 7 probable, 

 that, as most of his medicines were derived from the 

 vegetable kingdom, this circumstance might point 

 out to him the necessity of, and excite a desire for, 

 the study of Botany*. 



He seemed to have been designed for the study and 

 contemplation of Nature, and the culture of philosophy. 

 Although he was bred a farmer or husbandman, as a 

 means of procuring a subsistence, he pursued his avo- 

 cations as a philosopher, being ever attentive to the 

 works and operations of Nature. While engaged in 

 ploughinghis fields, and mowing his meadows, his in- 

 quisitive eye and mind were frequentlyexercised in the 

 contemplation of vegetables ; the beauty and harmony 

 displayed in their mechanism ; the admirable order 

 of system, which the great Author of the universe has 

 established throughout their various tribes, and the 

 equally wonderful powers of their generation!, the 

 progress of their growth, and the various stages of 

 their maturity and perfection. 



.' Dr. Haller speaks of Mr. Bartram as a physician: " Johan- 

 nes Bartrum, Medicus Amcricanus." Bibliotheca Anatomica. 

 Tom. II. p. 523. 



t At an early period, but not, I. believe, until after James Logan 

 bad made his celebrated experiments upon the generation of the 

 Zea Mays, or Indian-corn, Mr. Bartram had made some experi- 

 ments relative to the generation of the Lychnis dioica (Red- 

 Campion, and JA ampion), ;. v which has since so- 



