ххїї А SKETCH ОҒ THE LIFE OF 
7th June, 1813, so ill that he had to be left in the island as He only hope - 
saving his life. Towards the end of February 1814 Roxburgh was able to E 2n 
England, apparently still hoping to regain health and to return to the mee arden. 
At the time of Roxburgh’s departure the health of  Colebrooke's wife was $ 
cause of great anxiety to her friends, and the correspondence between Roxburgh an 
Colebrooke at this period indicates that both he and Roxburgh hoped that, under the 
circumstances,. the comparative exemption from social duties that a life at the Botanic 
Garden ensures would ‘increase her health and comfort? Apparently there was 
at first a marked improvement, but from a sudden illness, which she had no strength 
to shake off, the unfortunate lady died in October 1814. The blow was so keenly 
felt by Colebrooke that he decided to leave India, where he had served since 1783, 
at once, and on 8rd November 1814, he requested Government, as it was his intention 
shortly to proceed to England, to be relieved from the charge of the Honourable 
Company's Botanic Garden. Replying to this request on 5th November 1814, 
Government informed Colebrooke that Dr, Buchanan of the Medical Service on the 
Bengal establishment had been directed to receive charge of the Garden. А letter 
of the same date, addressed to Buchanan, who had just arrived from Fatehgarh, 
informed him that:— 
“His Excellency the Vice-President ій Council has been pleased to appoint you to take charge 
of the Honourable Company's Botanical Garden until further orders and to succeed to the situation of 
Superintendent of the Garden in the event of Dr, Roxburgh proceeding to England from St. Helena.” 
member of the Asiatic Society anda worthy companion of Jones, its founder, for his interests inciuded ‘whatever is 
performed by man or produced by nature.’ It appears strange that Colebrooke's biographers, including his son, are " 
unaware of the fact that Colebrooke's list duties in India, from March 1513 till N ovember 1814, included those of 
Superintendent of the Botanie Garden. : 
' The precise expressions of this letter of 5th November 1814 are important in connection with m:sunlerstand- 
ings that have arisen, and that are reflected in various notices of the lives of Buchanan and of Roxburgh, with 
regard to the connection of the former with this garden. | 
In more than one account of Buchanan’s life it is said that he was appointed suecessor to Roxburgh by the 
Court of Directors іп 1807. Buchanan’ himself states, in a paper read іп 1821, that the Court of Directors had 
appointed him to be Roxburgh’s successor, but he does not say when the Court did this. The terms of the 
letter quoted in the text show that the statement is literally accurate, even if the date 1807 be wrong; and 
though the writer has failed to confirm the date there is every reason to believe that it also is correct. The 
Government of Fort William were not empowered to make a permanent appointment—when, in 1816, they proceed. 
ed to do so, the Court of Directors ordered the Government of Benzal to revoke their appointment forthwith 
Roxburgh. By a lapse of memory, however, which is unusual in him, Bachanan says he took over charge of 
the Garden at Caleutta on Roxburgh’s death. In tho Caleutta Review for July 1894 Beveridge detects this obvious 
error only to fall into another, because Beveridge says that ‘Roxburgh left India for ever in 1803! The source 
of Beveridge’s belief the writer has failed to trace; he can only suppose that in some notice of Roxburgh which 
he has not seen, the printer is accòuntable for the date 1828, by a mistake that had escaped the proof-reader, 
instead of 1813, the actual year in which Roxbargh left never to retum. As а matter of fact Roxburgh died 
in Edinburgh on 18th February 1815, so that thou;h Roxburgh was dead five days before Buchanan left Calcutta 
he was still alive when Buchanan succeeded him. : E 
One point that does not seem elear, in eonneetion with the whole incid 
has hitherto escaped notice, When Roxburgh left Caleitta, Governme 
return whether he had ou this particul 
Roxburgh had signified his intention of returning to the Botanic "Garden 
indicates that Government were not yet made aware officially from London that Roxburgh had been obliged to 
proceed to England from St, Helena, though they probably were aware unofficially, since Roxburgh had intimated 
the fact in a letter to Colebrooke from St. Helena, dated 21st February 1814, They had, however evidently 
made up their minds to dispense with Roxburgh’s services whether he recovered his health or not sities by their 
order of 6:h November 1814 they definitely deprived him of the post hs had filled so worthily - so long. 
nt were aware of his intention tc 
; and even from St. Helena 
This letter of 6th November 1814- 
