WILLIAM JACKSON HOOKER. 331 



brought into his hands, he delighted in setting other botanists 

 to work on whatever portion they wished to elaborate ; not 

 only imparting freely, even to young and untried men of 

 promise, the multitude of specimens he could distribute, and 

 giving to all comers full access to his whole herbarium, but 

 sending portions of it to distant investigators, so long as this 

 could be done without too great detriment or inconvenience. 

 He not only watched for opportunities for attaching botanists 

 to government expeditions and voyages, and secured the pub- 

 lication of their results, but also largely assisted many private 

 collectors, whose fullest sets are among the treasures of far 

 the richest herbarium ever accumulated in one man's lifetime, 

 if not the amplest anywhere in existence. 



One of the later and not least important services which Sir 

 William Hooker has rendered to botany is the inauguration, 

 through his recommendation and influence, of a plan for the 

 publication, under government patronage, of the Floras of the 

 different British colonies and possessions, scattered over every 

 part of the world. Some of these (that of Hongkong and 

 that of the British West Indies) are already completed ; 

 others (like that of Australia, and the Cape Flora of Harvey 

 and Sonder, adopted into the series) are in course of publica- 

 tion ; and still others are ready to be commenced. 



The free and cordial way in which Hooker worked in con- 

 junction with others is partly seen in the various names which 

 are associated with his authorship. This came in part from 

 the wide range of subjects over which his survey extended, 

 a range which must have contributed much to the breadth of 

 his views and the sureness of his judgment. Invaluable as 

 such extent of study is, in the present state and prospects of 

 our science we can hardly expect to see again a botanist so 

 widely and so well acquainted both with Cryptogenic and 

 Phanerogamic botany, or one capable of doing so much for 

 the advancement and illustration of both. 



Our narrative of Sir William Hooker's scientific career 

 and our estimate of his influence has, we trust, clearly, though 

 incidentally, informed our readers what manner of man lie 

 was. To the wide circle of botanists, in which he has long 



