86 THE LIFE AND WORK OF GEORGE DON. 
appointed to the charge of the Botanic Garden at Edinburgh, he 
attracted the notice of Mr. Patrick Neill, and was enabled to attend 
some of the classes in that city. His father, however, after a while 
quitting Edinburgh, he returned with him to Forfar, and received 
his early training in the garden there. Subsequently he again 
visited Edinburgh, and had charge of the stoves and greenhouses 
in the establishment of the Messrs. Dickson, of Broughton, near 
that city, then among the finest in Scotland. Late in 1819 he 
removed to London, and soon after became librarian to Mr. 
Lambert, in whose house he was domiciled, and of whose extensive 
herbarium he had charge. About this period he published 
“Descriptions of several new or rare Native Plants, found in Scot- 
land, chiefly by the late Mr. George Don, of Forfar,” and wrote 
“A Monograph of the Genus Saxifraga,” which appeared in the 
thirteenth volume of our “Transactions.” These publications brought 
him into favourable notice, and in the year 1822 he became Librarian 
of the Linnean Society, an office which he continued to hold till his 
death, and in which he acquired the universal respect and esteem 
of the members by the wide extent of his information and the 
liberality with which he was at all times ready to impart it. 
On the death of Professor Burnet in 1836 he succeeded to the 
Botanical Chair at King’s College, which he also retained till his 
decease. His constitution was apparently robust, but towards the 
end of 1840 a tumour appeared in his lower lip, which it was found 
necessary toremove. The disease, however, after a short respite, 
reappeared in the neck, and assuming by degrees a decidedly 
malignant character, left no hope of his long surviving. He died 
on the 8th of December last [1841], worn out by severe suffering, 
which he bore with the most exemplary fortitude, and was buried 
on the 15th of the same month in the cemetery at Kensal Green. 
He was married, but left no children. 
As a systematic botanist his character stands deservedly high. 
His knowledge of plants was most extensive, and his appreciation 
of species ready and exact. The most important of his publications 
are his “ Prodromus Flore Nepalensis,” his monographs of 
Saxifraga and other genera, and of the family of Melastomacez ; 
his memoirs on Compositee, in our “ Transactions” ; and his papers, 
especially those on the plants of Peru and Chile, in the “Edinburgh 
Philosophical Journal.” 
The third son, Patrick Neill Don; died in Kent, having been 
gardener to the Right Hon. A. Beresford Hope at Bedgebury 
