348 LINNiEUS. 



Mr Ellis was a native of Ireland^, but had settled in 

 London^, where he died in 1776. In the early part 

 of his life he engaged in merchandise, and sub- 

 sequently was employed as agent for West Florida 

 and Dominica. His foreign connexions were the 

 means of furnishing him with rich supplies of curi- 

 ous specimens : and hence both botany and zoology 

 were enriched by him with many discoveries, the 

 most remarkable of which, as we have already men- 

 tioned, was that of the animal nature of corals and 

 corallines. 



It was to this gentleman that Linnaeus recom- 

 mended his favourite pupil Solander, who came to 

 England in 1759, and who was held in great es- 

 timation on account of his politeness and extensive 

 knowledge in natural history. Being engaged by 

 Sir Joseph Banks he accompanied him on his voy- 

 age round the world, and on his return was do- 

 mesticated under his roof as his secretary and li- 

 brarian. He undertook to describe the objects 

 which had been collected on the voyage ; but the 

 dissipation of London society, his other avocations, 

 and the indolence which soon gained upon him, 

 rendered his progress too slow for the expecta- 

 tions of the learned, and in 1782 he was carried off 

 by apoplexy. He seems to have almost forgotten 

 his venerable master, to whom he was under so 

 many obligations, and even his aged mother, several 

 of whose letters to him were found unopened after 

 his death. He was, notwithstanding, a man of 

 considerable merit, and more especially in that he 

 proved the means of establishing the Linnaean doc- 

 trines in this country. 



Mr Ellis, in return, had the satisfaction of in- 



