Bibliography. 193 



volume and its editor, while fellow-students at the medical school of 

 Philadelphia, were drawn together by kindred tastes, and early became 

 cultivators of the science in which they have both distinguished them- 

 selves ; — the one as the historian of the plants of his native district ; 

 while the other gathered his early laurels in the almost untrodden sa- 

 vannahs of Georgia and Florida, and soon after, when just entering 

 upon a field of still richer promise, found an untimely grave on the 

 banks of the Missouri. In his latest communications, Dr. Baldwin con- 

 signed his botanical papers to the charge of the late Mr. Zaccheus Col- 

 lins and Dr. Darlington. They were accordingly placed in the hands of 

 Mr. Collins, who purchased of the heirs at law the collection of dried 

 plants, intending, it seems, to present it to the Academy of Natural Sci- 

 ences of Philadelphia. It is much to be regretted that Dr. Baldwin was 

 prevented by professional engagements and infirm health from comple- 

 ting his notes upon his rich collections in the Southern States, according 

 to his original intention, before joining the western exploring expedition 

 commanded by Major Long. For these manuscripts, as we know from 

 personal examination, contain a very skillful revision of some difficult 

 genera, especially in the Cyperaceas, accurate diagnoses of new or ill- 

 understood species, and original observations much in advance of the 

 general state of botanical knowledge with us in those days ; and their 

 timely publication would not only have largely contributed to the ad- 

 vancement of his favorite science, but have formed the most enduring 

 record of his labors and attainments, as well as the most appropriate 

 monument to his own memory. Although bright hopes and high prom- 

 ise were thus frustrated by death, yet Dr. Baldwin's hard-earned scien- 

 tific reputation might still have been in some good degree secured, had 

 these manuscripts fallen into judicious editorial hands at an earlier period ; 

 when their scientific importance would have justified, or rather have re- 

 quired their publication, even in the imperfect state in which the author 

 left them. But Dr. Darlington naturally felt a delicacy in interfering 

 with the first-named executor, Mr. Collins, who also possessed the her- 

 barium ; but whose excessive caution, as it deterred him from publish- 

 ing any of his own observations, (or even from giving, so far as is known, 

 a decided opinion upon a botanical question during his whole life, except 

 in a single instance,) would alone effectually have prevented him from 

 taking such responsibility with the writings of another person. Indeed, 

 the manuscripts were supposed to be lost, and they only came to Dr. 

 Darlington's knowledge very recently, after he had arranged the princi- 

 pal contents of this volume for the press, and when they had ceased to 

 possess other than historical interest. For the steady progress of the 

 science during the last twenty years has nearly annihilated their strictly 

 scientific value, the new plants having mostly been published already 

 Vol. xlvi, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1843. 25 



