28 HISTORY OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 
Edinburgh having become vacant by the death of Mr. Menzies, 
Mr. Mackay was appointed to that situation in February 1800. 
He immediately commenced many improvements on the garden, 
to the great satisfaction of Dr. RUTHERFORD, the Professor 
of Botany. During the courses of lectures in summer 1800 and 
1801, Mr. Mackay occasionally accompanied the more keen and 
inquisitive students, in short botanical excursions around Edin- 
burgh, a plan admirably calculated to interest the student, and to 
inspire that enthusiasm and those keen sensations, which enable 
the naturalist to look at the objects around him with feelings so 
different from those of mankind in general. 
In the course of autumn, 1801, Mr. Mackay’s friends had the 
mortification to remark, that his health was rapidly declining. 
When winter approached, he was entirely confined to his 
chamber. In the end of December he received a consolatory 
visit from Mr. Don the botanist, of Forfar.1 Although his 
strength was much impaired, the society of Mr. Don recalled his 
wonted relish for botany, and immediately his table was covered 
with Cryptogamia. Even several days after his friend had taken 
leave of him, I was much pleased to find him still amusing 
himself with the assorting of mosses. Indeed, in the case of 
Mr. Mackay, I had frequent occasion to remark the salutary 
influence of enthusiasm in a favourite pursuit, in tending to divert 
the mind from those gloomy prospects that are apt to haunt us 
when under the pressure of bodily affliction. 
Mr. Mackay lingered for several months, his strength gradually 
decaying. Before the end of March 1802 he had become 
bedrid. About this time he afforded a most striking proof of 
his invincible ardour as a botanist and florist, by desiring the 
hyacinths, jonquils, and other early flowers that had come in 
blow in the dry-stoves to be brought to his bedside, examining 
them and giving his opinion of them, one by one. About this 
period, also, a parcel of young plants of new and rare ericas, 
happening to arrive from some of his correspondents, he reques- 
ted to see them ; and, after declaring his satisfaction with them, 
observed, in a pathetic tone, “that he would never see them 
* Don refers to this visit as occurring ‘‘about September.” See Letter to 
N. J. Winch, dated Forfar, May 11, 1802.,—/. B. B. 
