146 AccoMit of the late Professor Vahl. 



purchased his Herbarium^ as well as his library and 

 his manuscripts ; and, besides a handsome premi- 

 um, has granted an annual pension, for life, to each 

 of the Professor's six children. All this his Majesty, 

 by a very gracious letter (as a testimony of his sense 

 of the distinguished merits of the deceased), has noti- 

 fied to the widow, to whom, also, he has granted a 

 generous pension during her life-lime*." 



'* We have sustained (says the illustrious entomolo- 

 gist, Fabricius) a great loss in Denmark, by the death 

 of Professor \^ahl. He was, certainly, the first bota- 

 nist in Europe, and had just begun to publish his 

 Enumeratio Plantarum. The first volume appeared 

 before his death: the second volume is printing, but, 

 I suppose, will not proceed further than Triandkia. 

 For the remainder of the work, he had collected a 

 great many materials: but the last polish is wanted. 

 It is difficult to find a man who is able to enter into the 

 ideas of this authorf." 



Professor Vahl was a native of the city of Bergen, 

 in Norway, where his father was one of the most opu- 

 lent and respectable merchants. He received a part 

 (the most useful part) of his education under the direc- 

 tion of Linnaeus. He was one of the favourite pupils 

 of this great man, whose happy and impressive genius 

 gave a new face to the whole science of Na tur al His- 



» MS. note, communicated to the Editor by Mr. P. Pedersen, 

 Charge des affaires from his Uunish majesty to ihc United-States. 



t Letter to the Editor, dated Kiel, 1805. 



