140 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



not to any lack of industry or perseverance, but to a too fastidious 

 taste, and an over anxious desire not merely to satisfy the ever inc 

 ing demands of the science, but to realize his own high standard of 

 perfection. Indeed such were the characteristics of his mind in this 

 respect, that he was never satisfied with any thing done as well as it 

 reasonably could be at the time ; and in consequence every piece of 

 work that he undertook grew rapidly under his hands until it became 

 well nigh impracticable. This infirmity, if such it may be deemed, is 

 one with which every naturalist, who feels bound to do justice to his 

 themes, can sympathise. It is but too well illustrated in Mr. Oakes's 

 case by the particular undertaking which occupied his latest years, and 

 from the midst of which he was so suddenly removed. In the autumn 

 of 1842, he was solicited to prepare a brief sketch of the botany of 

 the White Mountains, with a catalogue of their alpine plants, to be ap- 

 pended to the Final Report of the Geological Survey of the State of 

 New Hampshire. Although he had repeatedly explored the moun- 

 tains, and made their botany a special study in view of his projected 

 New England Flora, he insisted upon visiting once more those favorite 

 haunts before committing his remarks upon their botany to writing. 

 The consequence was that new problems were presented much faster 

 than they could be solved. The subject expanded in magnitude as it 

 rose in interest. One exploration led to another, and a large part of 

 every succeeding summer until the last, was untiringly devoted to these 

 favorite investigations, and to the collection and preparation of literally 

 hundreds of specimens, such as he alone could make, of nearly every 

 species that inhabits those mountains, from the forest trees which cover 

 their sombre slopes to the low alpine flowers and mosses that cushion their 

 woodless summits, and the hoar rock-lichens that speckle their topmost 

 crags. The space of a substantial volume was now requisite to do jus- 

 tice to the enticing subject ; and the plan was enlarged accordingly. 

 The Geology, Mineralogy and Zoology of the mountains claimed their 

 share of attention ; an excellent artist was employed in making draw- 

 ings of characteristic plants, and finally of phytostatic views and illus- 

 trations of the scenery, of rare faithfulness and accuracy. As it be- 

 came desirable to complete and publish these illustrations separately, in 

 advance of the general work, to which they were at first intended as 

 an appendage, but which they now threatened to overwhelm, Mr. 

 Oakes devoted his attention and all his available resources to having 

 them properly lithographed and published. After surmounting difficul- 

 ties, one after another, which would have driven any less resolved man 



to utter despair, after cancelling plate after plate which did not fulfill 

 his expectations, Mr. Oakes had just succeeded in completing them, had 

 sent the last sheet of the text to the printer, — and moreover had just 

 been perfectly relieved from a temporary pecuniary embarrassment in 

 which it had involved him, — when, in a mysterious Providence, he was 

 suddenly removed from the scene of his labors at the very moment 

 they were crowned with success ! 



To detail the circumstances of the casualty by which a family circle 

 was bereaved of a fond husband and father, while society lost an esti- 

 mable member, science an ardent votary, and many a naturalist a 

 warm and trusty friend, would not under ordinary circumstances be 



