MEMOIR. 79 
of some still living that were present, was one of the largest which, 
up to that time, had been seen in Forfar. The whole town 
turned out to witness it, and followed the coffin to the grave in 
the churchyard. | 
This is the more extraordinary as during his lifetime he was 
as one apart from the crowd, one whose pursuits the crowd had 
no sympathy for, and he would have been described by many as 
the Kirkcaldy man described Adam Smith—*A puir cratur, gangs 
stotting about on the sands there for hours, and naebody kens 
what’s in his head.” He never mixed much with them or with 
burgh politics, not because he had no strong political beliefs, but 
rather because his means did not allow himself to touch 
municipal matters, soiled as they were so often in these times 
with petty meannesses or definite jobbery. We learn, however, 
that he joined a section of Forfarians, the followers of William 
Godwin,the founder of philosophic radicalism, and who adopted as 
their creed the principles—so far as they were practicable—laid 
down in his “ Inquiry concerning Political Justice.” This section 
of thinkers were mainly instrumental in forming the Forfar 
Library, which in addition to books also contained a microscope, 
telescope, and other philosophical instruments. Don became a 
member of the library in 1799 in consideration of his having 
presented three volumes of botanical drawings, being admitted 
without payment of dues. Don’s poverty may be assumed from 
this, as being too poor to pay the usual subscription he is 
admitted on his gift of these volumes, one of which, containing 
figures of Fungi by Sowerby, is still in existence in the library. 
mean disciple in the Linnzean school. In his premature death the science 
of botany (especially the cryptogamia department) has lost a most successful 
student, as in this branch of the science his researches were likely to be 
highly advantageous. He has left a family to lament the loss of an affec- 
tionate husband and tender parent ; and in the circle of his acquaintance 
he was a social and communicative companion.”—Dundee, Perth, and 
Cupar Advertiser, February 4th, 1814.—A/ex. P. Stevenson, Dundee. 
“ Obituary, January 15th.—At Forfar, after a short illness, Mr. George Don, 
formerly Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Garden at Edinburgh. The 
extraordinary merits of Mr. Don as a practical botanist are very generally 
known, from the frequent and well deserved eulogies bestowed on him in 
Dr. Smith’s “Flora Britannica ” and Sowerby’s ‘‘ English Botany.”’ ”—Scots 
Magazine, 1814. —T B. B. : 
