MEN OF SCIENCE IN LEICESTER AND LEICESTERSHIRE 93 
Further, that, as an elevating and moralising influence upon mankind, 
some such view of the universe as that suggested by this philosophy 
would be the next great influence brought to bear upon society in the 
next era of mental struggle and reform (Transactions of Leicester Literary 
and Philosophical Society, vol. iv. (1895-98), pp. 510-513.7% 
Mr. Mott was certainly a man of a very active and self-confident mind 
which delighted in the details of botanical observation, and in those bold 
flights or dives by which science soars or plunges into philosophy. 
Among those who were thanked by the editors of the Flora was 
James Francis Hollings. He was a master in the Proprietary School and 
had taught F. T. Mott. ‘He was a deeply learned man and studied 
science as well as literature.’ ‘ His weekly lectures on science, many 
of which were open to the public, were, as Mr. Mott says, “ an important 
feature of the curriculum of the school.” They were always “ illustrated 
by experiments,- specimens or diagrams. His varied and accurate 
knowledge was surprising. Chemistry, geology, botany, or physics— 
he seemed to be familiar with almost every branch and was always able 
to make his subjects interesting. . . . Many of his pupils have kept up 
their interest in science and owe to him their initiation into this delightful 
study.” ’ 14 
But though he taught science not only to schoolboys but to adults in 
lectures and papers at the meetings of the Literary and Philosophical 
Society and at the Mechanics’ Institute, his chief studies were in literature 
and history, of which he had a very wide knowledge, together with the 
ability of dealing with a particular subject, as in his History of Leicester 
during the Great Civil War. He was thrice President of the Literary and 
Philosophical Society and Mayor of Leicester in 1859. He died in 
1862. 
The Rev. Thomas Arthur Preston, Rector of Thurcaston (1885-1905), 
was an excellent member of the Botanical Section of the Society. In 
December 1gor he read a paper in which he sketched a plan for a second 
edition of the Flora and enumerated seventeen points for immediate 
consideration. It is hoped (April 1933) that this edition will soon be 
published. Other papers were Reports on the Herbarium. In 1898 the 
number of specimens had been calculated to be 5,826. In 1902 he con- 
sidered that the Herbarium had just been doubled. ‘Two old Herbaria 
had been acquired, one of them that of Miss Kirby. 
At the first meeting in February 1905, after the death of Mr. Preston, 
the Section placed on record an emphatic minute to express appreciation 
of his work in all branches of botany and of his kindness in helping 
members individually.1° 
An interesting botanical theory was introduced in a paper, entitled 
‘On Lichens,’ read by Miss Gertrude Clarke in February 1893. She said 
13 In 1883 he argued that instead of two great divisions of organic life there 
should be a primary fourfold division into Thallophytes, Protozoa, Cormophytes 
and Metazoa (Transactions, 1882-83, p. 53). 
14 Leicester Memoirs, by Charles James Billson. 
15 ‘A Reminiscence and an Appreciation,’ by Mr. William Bell, was read 
before Section D, May 20, 1908 (Tvansactions, xii, 211-220). 
