121 



don, with the sole intention of discovering the rarities of that country 

 in the vegetable kingdom." 



This was probably the last of Johnson's publications, for his death 

 occurred in 1644, and in the few remaining years of his life he could 

 have had but little leisure for botanical pursuits, as he seems then to 

 have laid by the pen for the sword. The following paragraphs, re- 

 lating to the close of his career, we quote from Pulteney. 



" In the civil wars, his zeal for the royal cause led him into the army, 

 in which he greatly distinguished himself; and the University of Ox- 

 ford, in consideration of his merit and learning, added to that of his 

 loyalty, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Physic, May 9, 

 1643. 



" In the army, he had the rank of lieutenant-colonel to Sir Marma- 

 duke Rawdon, governor of Basinghouse. Mr. Granger informs us, 

 that 'he set fire to the Grange, near that fortress, which consisted of 

 twenty houses, and killed and burnt about three hundred of Sir Wil- 

 liam Waller's men, wounded five hundred more, and took arms, am- 

 munition, and provisions from the enemy.' Wood adds, ' that going 

 with a party on the 14th of September, 1644, to succour certain of the 

 forces belonging to that house, which went to the town of Basing to 

 fetch provisions thence, but beaten back by the enemy, headed by 

 that notorious rebel, Colonel Richard Norton, he received a shot in 

 the shoulder, of which he died in a fortnight after. At which time 

 his worth did justly challenge funeral tears ; being then no less eminent 

 in the garision for his valour and conduct as a soldier, than famous 

 throughout the kingdom for his excellency as a herbalist and physi- 

 cian.'" 



Johnson's age at the time of his death is not precisely known : 

 Pulteney supposes him to have hardly reached the meridian of life, 

 from his not being mentioned in Lobel's 'Adversaria,' printed in 1605. 

 However this may have been, his industry and learning are sufficient- 

 ly testified in the Herbal and his other works which have reached us ; 

 and we cannot but feel grateful to the editor and proprietor of the 

 work before us for having contributed to the rescuing from oblivion 

 the memory of a man to whom British Botany has been so much 

 indebted. 



It is truly gratifying to see in these time-honoured Itineraries, that 

 there is abundant truth as well as wisdom in the profound aphorism 

 which declares that " human nature remains the same in all ages : " 

 and in one important particular at least we presently hope to show 

 that this is the case. The remark has frequently been made, and 



