1 68 JOHN LINDLEY 



horticulture and we shall have occasion presently to refer to 

 the most important of all his campaigns in the cause of science. 



When John Lindley was about 19 or 20 years of age his 

 father's affairs became involved, and the son with an impulsive- 

 ness as just as it was foolish insisted, against the advice of 

 friends, on becoming surety for the father. The mill-stone of 

 financial anxiety thus early hung about his neck caused him 

 trouble throughout his life. 



Possessed of nothing but youth, a sound education, great 

 natural ability and one good friend, John Lindley at the age of 

 20 left Norfolk for London. Thanks to a letter of introduction 

 from the friend (Sir William Hooker) he obtained a post as 

 assistant-librarian to Sir Joseph Banks. He thus gained access 

 to a good library and became acquainted with a large number 

 of men, both English and foreign, interested in scientific subjects. 

 That he made the most of his opportunities is evident, for we 

 find him at 21 a Fellow of the Linnean Society and a member 

 of the Bonn Academy of Natural History. In 1822 began 

 Lindley's long connection with the Horticultural Society, which 

 he served first as Garden Assistant-Secretary, then (1826 1860) 

 as Assistant-Secretary and finally as Secretary. 



The portrait which accompanies this sketch is a reproduction 

 of that painted by Mr Eddis, R.A., at the instance of friends of 

 Lindley about the time of his resignation of the Secretaryship 

 of the Horticultural Society. 



The most conspicuous direct services rendered by Lindley 

 to the Society were the laying out of the Society's garden at 

 Chiswick and the organisation, with Bentham, of the celebrated 

 flower-shows which have served as models for the exhibits of 

 horticultural societies all over the world. Those who know 

 how extraordinarily valuable, not only to horticulturists but 

 also to botanists, are the periodical " shows " held by the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, will be grateful to Lindley for the per- 

 spicuity which led him to replace the old and gaudy " fetes " 

 by these admirable exhibitions. 



Lindley's Professorship of Botany in University College, 

 London, dates from 1828 and was held for over a quarter of 

 a century. Among those who attended his lectures were 



