XVill MEMOIRS OF THE 
indulge their particular taste, they may insensibly acquire 
knowledge. 
“ It has been objected by a few, that a knowledge of 
plants thus easily acquired, is as easily forgotten; but this 
must certainly be more the fault of the students than the 
method ; as they may without molestation spend as much 
time as they please in investigating them, and becoming 
perfectly acquainted with their characters; and still farther 
to assist them in their studies, a library of those books most 
necessary for the students is open to their imspection.”’ 
The above proposals being circulated, his Lectures 
and herbarizing excursions well attended, and his Botanic 
Garden established, the encouragement Mr. Curtis met with 
from very distinguished characters of that time was very 
flattering; and it is still in the recollection of several of 
his pupils, how pleasant a manner he had in explaining 
whatever could be useful or interesting to every one, whilst 
engaged in collecting specimens on these excursions. 
Amongst his greatest encouragers and pupils, he had 
to enumerate the family of the Earl of Bute, Sir Joseph 
Banks, the Hon. Daines Barrington, Dr. Fothergill, Dr. 
'Lettsome, Dr. Goodenough, (late bishop of Carlisle) 
Thomas White, Esq., and many of the most celebrated 
enquirers into Natural History of his day. These, and 
many others who wished well to the science, or to encou- 
rage the teacher, became annual subscribers to the garden ; 
which was not only the support he had to depend on for 
himself, but the only means he had to establish so expensive 
a plan as a regular school for studying plants from nature, 
under a systematic arrangement of them; and to forma col- 
lection of books for reference in the garden library, to be 
consulted at all times by the pupils and subscribers. 
At the same time a printed catalogue, with an en- 
graved plan of the garden, arranged into quarters, expres- 
sive of the different qualities of the plants they contained, 
