FRANCIS HAMILTON (ONCE BUCHANAN), Ixxv 
Don, who published many of the Nepal species of plants during Hamilton's life- 
time, always cites him, correctly, as Hamilton, Since then the erroneous and 
unnecessary practice adopted by zoologists has been followed by botanists who, however, 
usually cite Hamilton as “ Buchanan Hamilton.” Why, in deciding to deliberately and 
conventionally err, the botanist should reverse the error of the zoologist, is not at 
all clear. The one convention is as needless as the other and both should be dropped. 
Hamilton's shrewd sense is shown again and again in his letters, and is perhaps 
nowhere seen to more advantage than in his early appreciation of the outstanding 
ability of Sir William Hooker, and im his remarks on other contemporary workers. It 
is perhaps least pleasantly seen in his estimate of Roxburgh, though even in this 
instance it was not unjust; as it was only made in a letter to Wallich, the one 
other person who was as greatly indebted to Roxburgh as Hamilton himself had 
been for opportunities, at the commencement of his service, which led to his ultimately 
rendering himself distinguished, there was no danger of its being misinterpreted. 
Montgomery Martin, in introducing the first volume of Hamilton’s Bengal reports 
to the public, promised to prepare a memoir of Hamilton’s life. But at the close cf 
the third and last volume Martin explains that he had failed to find material for 
the purpose. 
It is hard to realize that Martin could find nothing, within ten years of Hamilton's 
death, to aid him in enabling us to form some conception of Hamilton's interesting 
personahty. "What was difficult in 1838 is naturally still more difficult now, and 
we must therefore unfortunately conteut ourselves with a review of what Hamilton did 
as Some substitute for a picture of what Hamilton was. Тһе writer, however, cannot 
help feeling selfishly grateful to Martin, since Martin's failure has afforded him this 
opportunity of performing, as best he might, a pious duty to the memory of his 
predecessor Francis Hamilton, once Buchanan. 
D. Pra. 
RovaL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA; 
October 30, 1904, 
B, 3, Ртевсе-21687--276--27.2.1005.-Е. J. H. & others. 
