24 



TlMEHRI. 



the first occurs the following passage, which is interesting 

 as showing the travellers idea of the purposes for which 

 such a garden could be utilized : — 



" At this period, when the greatest efforts is being 

 made to institute a Society for the advancement of the 

 Agricultural and Commercial interests of British Guiana, 

 and. where one of the manifold objects, it is to embrace, 

 consists of a Museum where the best specimens which 

 can be obtained, of the productions of the colony, both 

 indigenous and introduced, shall be kept, it is not amiss 

 to point out how desirable and honourable to the colony 

 it would be, to possess a Botanical Garden for the cultiva- 

 tion of such of our indigenous plants which are either 

 useful for general purposes, or which according to 

 previous knowledge, or the information of our native 

 Indians, or the populace at large, are used in diseases or 

 considered to possess medical virtues." In a reference 

 to another letter of SCHOMBURGK'S, the Editor of 

 Royal Gazette said, that his accomplished correspondent 

 wished to urge on the inhabitants, generally, and the new 

 Agricultural Society in particular, the formation of a 

 Botanical Garden in the vicinity of the town, for which 

 he advanced four arguments, each of which singly ought 

 to be enough to carry the day for him. " First, a Botanical 

 Garden would promote medical science ; second, it would 

 be an honour and ornanent to the country and town ; 

 third, it would afford healthy and innocent recreation 

 to the poor ; fourth, it would desennuyer the rich by 

 giving them a new amusement. SCHOMBURGK'S letters 

 led to further correspondence; " Erinensis" took up the 

 cudgels for Astronomy and the new Astronomical Society, 

 which was answered in a good-humoured way by the 



