PLANT COLLECTORS, ETC. 119 



minority feel no abashment/ Some of them it may be 

 presumed did feel abashment, if the minority dwindled 

 from 42 to 23. The other half was made up of d im- 

 pudent fellows incapable of blushing for anything. Had 

 the texture of the skin been capable of erubescence, all 

 their faces must have been as red as my Lord Kelly's 

 nose, when their flatulent leader bounced with so little 

 decency about secession. . . . Better not shew this at 

 the Shakespeare ; I do not mind Mr. Hamilton, but stand 

 in awe of Pitcairne." 



In November, 1785, the Presidency of Madras " politely 

 nominated me as successor to Dr. Konig for the prosecu- 

 tion of researches in Natural History." This post he held 

 for about three years, with satisfaction in all quarters. 

 He sent a great deal of the results of his work to England. 

 In reply to a request from the East India Company, 

 Sir Joseph Banks wrote a lengthy and very favourable 

 Report on Dr. Russell and his labours ; and readily 

 offered his assistance in preparing their results for publi- 

 cation. 



In further communications, he warmly praises his 

 friend Roxburgh, who had lost (May, 1787) all his papers 

 and most of his collections in a hurricane, yet had re- 

 paired his losses in course of time. He repeats his com- 

 plaint of want of books. Of another, he says : " I 

 once mentioned to you before that both Konig and 

 Roxburgh complained of very seldom hearing of the 

 success of the seeds sent home. I cannot help joining in 

 their lamentation ; and whatever you may think of it, it 

 is a real discouragement to us Wandering Collectors, of 

 which I shall convince you at meeting." When, how- 

 ever, he was in London again (October, 1789), he was 

 rewarded with hearty welcome, and appreciation of his 

 splendid work. As for his Snakes, he found them cutting 

 a respectable figure in the Museum, now neatly arranged. 



