48 MEMOIR. 



curious, and collecting together persons of kindred 

 minds, he was the means of giving an immense 

 impetus to the progress of botany, zoology, and 

 mineralogy, which led in a great measure to the 

 institution of societies for the advancement of each. 

 And it is matter of congratulation that our know- 

 ledge of Natural History has materially increased 

 through the formation of these societies, and the 

 improved mode of investigation by the aid of ana- 

 tomy and physiology, which they have encouraged 



