MKMOIK OF DR WRIGHT. ^_ 153 



all the branches of natural history, and had kept a journal, in 

 which he delineated plants as well as animals. He embarked 

 in a ship bound to London, on board of which there were some 

 Danish prisoners. They had not proceeded far on their voyage 

 when they discovered the vessel to be in flames, and burning 

 with such rapidity that all must have perished, but for the 

 providential appearance of the Talbot man-of-war, which came 

 up just in time to save the lives of those on board. Mr 

 Hooker lost his collections, and the one-half of his drawings 

 and journals. 



'•' You are aware that my late nephew visited Iceland with 

 Mr Stanley. His mineralogical collection was left with me; 

 and I have given Mr Hookek specimens of the greater part 

 of it. Of some, indeed, I have not retained any duplicate. I 

 I have offered to send him an Icelandic Herbarium, collected 

 at the same time. This will only partially supply the loss, 

 which must be regarded as a public misfortune. Mr Hooker 

 is intimately acquainted with our friend Sir Joseph Banks, 

 and that would of itself have been sufficient to ensure my best 

 offices." 



Mr Hooker was not unmindful of the attentions 

 he received on this occasion. In his " Recollections 

 of a Tour in Iceland in 1809," he makes his public 

 acknowledgments in the following terms : 



" Neither can I suffer to pass in silence the civility of Sir 

 George Mackenzie, in collecting plants for me in his late 

 excursion to Iceland ; nor the attention shewn me by Dr 

 Wright of Edinburgh. Though a stranger to him till my 

 arrival at that city on my return from Iceland, he participat- 

 ed feelingly in my misfortune, and begged me to make any 

 use I pleased of the subjects of natural history in his posses- 

 sion which had been collected in Iceland by his nephew, the 

 late Mr Wright, an amiable young man, who accompanied 



