198 Obituary. 



Art. X. Obituary. 



Under this liead we intend to notice the death of those persons who have 

 either themselves,or by their influence, ])romoted tlie advancement of Horti- 

 culture ; and also to collect such information of tlie lives of eminent Botan- 

 ists and Amateurs in Gardening, as will he read with interest. 



We iiave now the painful duty to record the death of Robert Sweet, F. L. 

 S., a very distinguished botanist and autiior, and one of the most successful 

 botanical cultivators and propagators. He died on the night of the 20th of 

 January, 1835, aged 52 years. The following notice we extract from Lou- 

 don's Garilener's Magazine for Marcii : 



He was liorn in 1783, at Cockington, near Torqua, Devonshire, of William 

 and Mary Sweet. In his sixteenth year he was placed under his half Itrol her, 

 James Sweet, then gardener to Richard Briglit, Esq., of Ham Green, near 

 Bristol (and afterwards the founder of the extensive nursery at the latter place), 

 with wliom he remained for nine years. He had, subsequently, charge of 

 the collection of plants under the care of Mr. Stewart, at Woodlands, the re- 

 sidence of John Julius Angerstein, Esq. On Feb. 14, 1812, he was elected 

 a Fellow of the Linnsean Society. In 1810 he entered as a partner into the 

 Stockwell Nursery, which soon became famed for a collection of rare exotic 

 plants; and, on the dissolution of that concern, in 1815, he became foreman 

 to Messrs. Whitley, Brames, and Milne, nurserymen, Fulham ; and remained 

 in this situation untd 1819, when he ciuered into the service of Messrs. Col- 

 vill, with whom he continued until 182(j, Previously to this, he had become 

 the author of soirie works, enumerated in the catalogue below ; and the re- 

 mainder will show that, from 182G to June 1831, he had occupied himself 

 almost wholly in producing botanical works. Still his passion for plant cul- 

 ture never ceased. In the garden attached to his residence at Parson's Green, 

 Fulham, he cultivated a limited collection of interesting plants ; and, he having 

 reinoved, in 1830, to Chelsea, to a residence with a larger garden attached to 

 it, we find him notifying, at the end of his Hortus Britannicus, his intention 

 to " cultivate some handsome, rare, and choice |)lants for sale," at the wish 

 of many of his friends, who had found "them at i)resent so difficult to oinairi." 



In June, 1831, he was seized with brain fever, from which he partially re- 

 covered ; but, having entered again too ardently into his favorite piu'suit, he 

 had a return of the complaint, which produced an aberation of mind, which 

 continued till death. 



The Dates and Titles of his Lileranj Works. In 1818, Hortus Suburbanug 



Londinensis, 1 vol. 8vo. In 1820, Geraniacese, continued in numbers until 



1826 ; 5 vols. In 1822, The British Flower-Garflen, First Series, contin- 

 ued in numbers until three volumes were formed, in 1826. In 1825, or pre- 

 viously, the Botanical Cultivator. There have l)een five editions of this work : 

 the fifth one, revised, was advertised in the end of 1830, and was |)id)lished 

 in 1831, under the title of "Hot-house and Green-house Manual, or Botani- 

 cal Cultivator." In Jidy, 1825, Cistinese, continued in nimibers until com- 

 pleted, in January, 1830. In J 826, The British Warblers. In 1826, 



Part I.; in 1827, Part II., of Hortus Britannicus. In 1827, The Florist's 



Guide, or Cultivator's Directory; continued in monthly numbers untill 1831. 



In 1827, Flora Australasica, continued in monthly numbers until 1828. 



In June, 1829, The British Flower-Garden, Series the Second ; contin- 

 ued in monthly numbers, by its author, until June, 1831 ; and subsequently, 



and now, by David Don, Esq. In 1830, Hortus Britannicus, edition the 



second. In May, 1831, the first number of a work entitled "The Botany 



of Great Britain ;" the descriptions by Mr. Sweet, the engravings by H. 

 Widdell. See Gard. Mag., vii. 345. 



