ment" over worldly glory, had all a faithful representative in 

 Peter Collinson.* In their full representation we do not think 

 the Society has produced his superior. We do not say that he 

 was a better man than George Fox or William Penn ; that he 

 was so deep a thinker as Dr. Fothergill ; that he did more to 

 leave a name behind him than James Logan ; that he was so 

 great a naturalist as John Bartram ; or that he relieved as 

 much distress as Elizabeth Fry. But, studying his character 

 as it has been recently developed, it does appear to us that he 

 combined more of all these respective qualities than either of 

 the individuals named. One who has done more than any ether 

 towards this development, and who understands the whole sub- 

 ject as well as any man living, says of him, in a manuscript 

 now under our eye "he was one of the earliest and most dis- 

 tinguished cultivators, and most distinguished patrons, of the 

 Natural Sciences in the Society of Friends ; and, at the same 

 time, an honour and an ornament to the sect." It must be 

 acknowledged that the same authority says of Dr. Fothergill, 

 the intimate friend of Peter Collinson, that he " regards him 

 as the most accomplished Quaker that ever lived, whether con- 

 sidered as a man of science, or as a philanthropist" adding, 

 " while the Society of Friends may ever be proud of their 

 great lawgiver, Penn, the lovers of nature among them may 

 boast of a Logan, a Collinson, a Fothergill, and a Marshall; 

 to each of whom a, genus has been dedicated, that will preserve 

 the memory of their worth and services as long as the plants 

 which bear their names shall continue to grow." But the pre- 

 eminence in accomplishments among Friends, which our corres- 

 pondent assigns to Dr. Fothergill, relates particularly to science 

 and philanthropy. As a practical utilitarian, a helper of others 

 to do good to their fellow-men, and to attain the heights and 

 depths of scientific discovery ; to push their researches through 

 difficulties and dangers to earth's remotest bounds, and perhaps 

 in some other characteristic excellencies, Peter Collinson sur- 

 passed him ; although it must at the same time be confessed 



* Enclosed in Peter Collinson's Will was found a paper importing, 

 " that he hoped he should leave behind him a good name which he valued 

 more than riches : that he had endeavoured not to live uselessly ; and that 

 all his days he constantly aimed to be a friend of mankind." 

 1* 



