Constantine Samuel Rafinesque. 17 



of these years, that he was reasonably successful in 

 business enterprises, for he states that &quot;by trading in 

 the products of the island&quot; he made his first personal 

 fortune. It is curious to note that some of his ventures 

 were along the line of economic botany, for his trade 

 lay in the manufacture of squills for the European and 

 American markets. Rafinesque first taught the Sicilians 

 many things of this sort, thus proving himself, though 

 unwillingly, another Latinus to this beautiful island. He 

 became quite familiar with the whole island, and seems 

 to have devoted himself assiduously to the study of 

 every form of life within its area. All the ten years 

 he spent here were full of toil and study. They were, 

 on the whole, very happily passed, though many of his 

 business employments were heterogeneous and peculiar. 

 At one time connected with the United States legation 

 as secretary or chancellor to Minister Gibbs, at another 

 the manager of a successful brandy-still for a company of 

 gentlemen, next a candidate for a State position which 

 he never obtained, editor of a magazine, naturalist and 

 collector always, these were the occupations with which 

 he filled the ten years of Sicilian life. He became per 

 sonally and by correspondence known to many of the 

 scientific men of Europe, and with some of them he 

 had very pleasant relations. Swainson, the English nat- 



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