164 PROFESSOR'S HOUSE 



"We are now taking down the Physic Garden House and 

 Library ; i.e. the botany Professor's House and botanic Library, 

 (tho' both new buildings), to make room for the approach to 

 the bridge from the town " (Letter from Daniel Price of 

 February 10, 1790). 



Sibthorp was the Professor at the time ; and, anxious to 

 reside as near to his work as possible, moved over the new 

 bridge into a house in Cowley Place.* 



This move was an irreparable calamity to the Garden. 



With Professor went books, papers, and collections. They 

 remained at Cowley Place during his second tour in Greece, 

 and when he returned with his new collections after the 

 disastrous journey home in 1795, he was too ill to put any- 

 thing in order. To make a sad story short, a few printed 

 books were procured for the University, but Sibthorp's irre- 

 placeable manuscripts and letters of supreme interest went 

 partly to a paper-mill, partly to wrap up the wares of the 

 petty tradesmen of the neighbourhood. 



* A good story about this house is told by Cox in his " Recollections." 

 Dr. Sibthorp built what is called " Cowley House " (being in the parish of 

 Cowley), merely separated from the Botanic Gardens by a meadow and 

 a stream. It was said that he intended it as a residence for his successors ; 

 the gift, however, was never made. The house is said to have been built 

 of bricks made of clay upon the spot. Dr. Sibthorp in some measure 

 spoilt its arrangement and proportions in order to accommodate a fine 

 staircase and some large windows which he had purchased at the pulling 

 down of Lord Abingdon's house at Rycot, near Thame. The building 

 itself certainly has no pretension to external beauty, notwithstanding its 

 fine situation : Dr. Sibthorp, nevertheless, the admirer of his own creation, 

 appears to have thought otherwise ; for he is reported to have asked the 

 Dean of Christ Church for a Studentship for one of his family, on the 

 ground of having built " so beautiful and classical a terminus to the vista 

 of the Broad Walk !" "A Studentship !" replied Dean Cyril Jackson. 

 " My good Sir, I will give you two if you will be so kind as to pull it 

 down again.'* 



Cox's other story about the lecture on nettles, I have always heard told 

 of Dr. Daubeny. (See p. 81.) . 



