647 



SMITH, SIR JAMES EDWARD. 



SMITH, JOHN PYE, D.D., LL.D. 



548 



night, might be sent in by way of competition. As all the addresses 

 sent in, except one, were to be rejected, Mr. Ward, secretary to the 

 theatre, casually started the idea of publishing a series of supposed 

 4 Rejected Addresses.' This was just six weeks before the opening of 

 the theatre. The brothers eagerly adopted the suggestion, and having 

 immediately settled what authors each should imitate, Horace left 

 London on a visit to Cheltenham, and James remained at home. 

 Horace having executed his portion of the task returned to London a 

 few days before the opening of the theatre. Each then submitted his 

 productions to the other ; a few verbal alterations were made, a few 

 fines were added, and the little book was immediately printed and 

 published. It was received by the public with enthusiastic delight. 

 As the ' Rejected Addresses ' are humorous imitations mostly of 

 authors well known, and as the work is still in circulation, it is 



(' The Theatre '), are by James Smith, as well as the songs styled 

 4 Drury Lane Hustings,' the ' Theatrical Alarm Bell ' (an imitation of 

 the editor of the 'Morning Post'), and the travesties 'Macbeth,' 

 1 George Barnwell,' and ' The Stranger.' The rest of the imitations 

 are by Horace Smith. The copyright, which was originally offered 

 to Mr. Murray for 201., was purchased by him in 1819, after the six- 

 teenth edition, for 131?. 



Besides a great number of amusing trifles which James Smith con- 

 tributed to the periodical literature of the day, he was a gratuitous 

 contributor to the earlier series of theatrical entertainments entitled 

 4 At Home,' in which the elder Charles Mathews displayed his extra- 

 ordinary powers of humorous imitation. Subsequently, for the 

 ' Country Cousins,' the ' Trips to Paris,' ' Air-Ballooning," and the 

 4 Trip to America,' he received from Mr. Mathews altogether 1000Z. 

 " You are the only man in London," said Mathews to James Smith, 

 44 who can write what I want, good nonsense." 



The brothers were both admired for their conversational powers. 

 James Smith especially had a large circle of acquaintance, and went 

 much into society. Though he was always a man of temperate habits, 

 he became in middle life subject to attacks of gout, which increased iu 

 frequency and severity till he gradually lost the use of his limbs, and 

 could only move himself by the aid of crutches. He died in London, 

 December 24, 1839. In early and middle life he was distinguished for 

 manlj beauty both of figure and face. He was never married. 



Horace Smith contributed numerous pieces of poetry, half playful, 

 half sentimental, to the ' New Monthly Magazine,' while it was under 

 the editorship of Thomas Campbell, the poet. He was also the author 

 of about twenty novels, of about three volumes each, the greater part 

 of which seem to have been little known except to the regular novel- 

 readers of the circulating libraries. ' Gaieties and Gravities,' published 

 in 1825, was one of the earliest of his novels. ' Love and Mesmerism,' 

 1845, was the latest. In the intermediate twenty years he gave to 

 the public 'Brambletye House,' ' Tor Hill,' 'Reuben Apsley,' 'Zillah,' 

 4 New Forest,' ' Walter Colyton," 'Jane Lomax,' ' The Moneyed Man,' 

 4 Adam Brown,' 'Arthur Arundel,' and others. Horace Smith died 

 July 12, 1849, at Tunbridge Wells. He was a widower, and left two 

 daughters. 



(Memoirs, Letters, and Comic Miscellanies in Prose and Verse, by 

 the late James Smith, Esq., one of the authors of the 'Rejected 

 Addresses,' edited by his Brother, Horace Smith, Esq., 2 vols., cr. 8vo, 

 1840.) 



SMITH, SIR JAMES EDWARD, celebrated as the purchaser of 

 the collections and library of Linnaeus, and founder of the Linnean 

 Society, was born at Norwich, on the 2nd of December 1759. He is 

 described as having extreme mental susceptibility, and a delicate con- 

 stitution, whence he was much under the care of his mother, from 

 whom he imbibed his taste for flowers. His father was a man of culti- 

 vated mind, and had no doubt considerable influence in forming his 

 son's mind, especially as his education was domestic, with the assist- 

 ance of masters from Norwich. This town has long been remarkable 

 for the fondness of its inhabitants for flowers, introduced, it is 

 believed, by the Flemish weavers, who took refuge in England from 

 the tyranny of the Spaniards in their own country. Hence it has 

 probably happened that botany has been a favourite pursuit in Nor- 

 wich, and that so many botanists have been produced there, as may 

 be seen in Smith's ' Biographical Notice of Norwich Botanists,' as 

 well as in some of our li ving botanists. Mr. Smith was intended for 

 Borne mercantile calling, but from his love of science was induced to 

 study medicine, for which purpose he proceeded to Edinburgh in 

 1781, and obtained in 1782 Dr. Hope's gold medal for the best botani- 

 cal collection. After his arrival in London he happened to be break- 

 fasting with Sir Joseph Banks, from whom he learnt that the whole 

 of the collection of books, manuscripts, and natural history of Linnaeus 

 had been offered him for 1000 guineas, but that he intended to decline 

 it. The young student of medicine determined upon becoming him- 

 self the purchaser, though without funds for the purpose. His father, 

 though at first refusing, afterwards consented to the purchase. The 

 collection arrived here in twenty-six cases, in 1784, and cost 10SSZ. 5s. 

 The ship conveying it had just sailed when the King of Sweden, 

 Gustawts IIL, who had been absent in France, returned home, and 

 sent a vessel to tho Sound to intercept its voyage; but happily it 



was too late. On the death of Sir James this celebrated collection 

 was purchased by the Linnean Society, and forms a part of their 

 valuable stores of natural history. 



A number of circumstances appear thus to have determined the 

 future course of Sir James's life. Though he took up his residence 

 in London, with the intention of practising his profession, it seems 

 never to have seriously occupied his attention. Two years after he 

 became possessed of the collections of Linnaeus, he made a tour 

 through Holland, France, Italy, and Switzerland, of which he published 

 an account. He obtained his medical degree at Leyden. In the year 

 1788, with the assistance of Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. Goodenough, 

 (Bishop of Carlisle), and some others, the Linnean Society was founded, 

 and Dr. Smith elected its first president In 1792 he was employed 

 to teach botany to Queen Charlotte and to the princesses. He con- 

 tinued to reside in London until 1796, when he removed to Norwich, 

 but paid a yearly visit of two months to London, when he gave a 

 course of lectures on botany at the Royal Institution. On the 28th of 

 July 1814, Dr. Smith was knighted by the Prince Regent at a levee, 

 when he presented a copy of the ' Transactions ' of the Linnean, 

 Society. The honour was conferred on him as institutor and president 

 of the Society. In 1813 Sir James became a candidate for the chair 

 of botany at Cambridge ; but not being a member of the University, 

 nor of the Church of England, he was not considered eligible by the 

 authorities of the University. His health began to decline five or six 

 years previous to his death, which took place on the 17th of March 

 1828. 



The public will be chiefly interested in his works. Of these a full 

 list is given in the ' Memoir of his Life and Correspondence,' published 

 by his widow. These are numerous, but those by which he will be 

 principally known and remembered are, ' English Botany,' in thirty- 

 six volumes, with 2592 coloured figures by Mr. Sowerby ; ' The Latin 

 Flora Britannica,' three volumes, and especially ' The English Flora,' 

 in four volumes ; also ' Flora Grseca,' from Dr. Sibthorp's materials, 

 and the ' Prodromus Floras Grsecae.' He was also author of the 

 botanical articles and of the botanical biography in Rees's ' Cyclopaedia,' 

 from the letter C, which have always been much valued, and of 

 numerous papers in the ' Transactions of the Linnean Society.' 



Sir James Smith was moreover esteemed as a man of a kind heart, 

 amiable dispositions, and pure moral habits. His correspondence dis- 

 plays great warmth of friendship towards him on the part of numerous 

 distinguished individuals. His purchase of the Linnean collections, 

 and his devotion to the science of botany for so many years, had con- 

 siderable influence in spreading a taste for and in extending the cul- 

 tivation of that science. In his exclusive attachment to the artificial 

 classification of Linnaeus in preference to the natural method, in 

 favour of which Linnaeus has expressed himself in the strongest 

 terms, he preferred that which was valuable for a time, to that which, 

 as perfected, becomes fitted for all times. 



SMITH, JOHN PYE, D.D., LL.D., one of the most learned 

 ministers and theological tutors of the Independent or Congrega- 

 tionalist denomination, was born at Sheffield, May 25, 1774. In his 

 early years he was employed in the shop of his father, who carried on 

 a respectable bookselling establishment in Sheffield; but always a 

 diligent student, and becoming strongly impressed with religious 

 feelings, he became desirous of engaging in the Christian ministry. 

 He accordingly left business, and in his twenty-second year entered 

 the Independent Academy at Rotherham. Here he devoted himself 

 zealously to the studies of the place, and such was the character he 

 attained for ability and learning that, on a vacancy taking place in 

 Homerton Theological Academy, Mr. Smith was chosen iu 1800 to 

 occupy the post of classical tutor in that seminary. At Homertou he 

 subsequently formed a church, of which he became pastor, and which 

 increased so largely in numbers as to require a separate chapel. In 

 1807 he received the diploma of D.D. from Yale College, Newhaven, 

 Connecticut. In 1813, Dr. Pye Smith gave up the situation of 

 resident classical tutor, retaining at the request of the directors the 

 post of divinity tutor. In 1835 he received the diploma of LL.D., 

 from Marischal College, Aberdeen. Dr. Smith became again iu 1843 

 the resident tutor at Homerton, which office he filled till the breaking 

 up of the establishment in 1850, when New College, St. John's 

 Wood, was formed from the junction of Homerton, Highbury, and 

 Coward Colleges. Dr. Pye Smith, who had been for many years 

 afflicted with deafness, then retired from active duty, and his friends 

 and admirers testified their regard for his character by raising a sum 

 of 3000Z., to provide an annuity for him while he lived, the interest to 

 be afterwards devoted to the foundation of a Smith scholarship in 

 New College. Dr. Pye Smith died on February 5, 1851, in his 

 seventy-seventh year. Dr. Pye Smith was held in unusual regard by 

 all who knew him, as much for the singular simplicity, aeal, and 

 benevolence of his character, as for his earnestness and devotion in his 

 official duties, and his extensive erudition. He had been twice 

 married. 



Dr. Smith was a man of untiring industry, as well as of very 

 unusual acquirements. He published numerous works on theology 

 and on science, especially the science of geology. His great work was 

 ' The Scripture Testimony to the Messiah,' 2 vols., 1818 and 1821, 

 The remarkable range of reading which this work displayed, aad par- 

 ticularly its familiarity with recent German theological literature, 



