128 Biography. 



tion of Urine; on the Trout of the Welsh Lakes ; on the Eraine; the 

 Nut-Hatch, the .Regulus cristatus, and the Helix pomatia: Phil. Trans., 

 vol. xxviii. p. 167. A Relation of a Waterspout in Lancashire : Phil. Trans., 

 vol. xxx. p. 1097. On the Squilla A'quse Dulcis, destroying the young 

 Fry of Carp and Tench : Phil. Trans., vol. xxxviii. p. 331. 



A plant belonging to the extensive natural class of .Rubiacese was named 

 Richardson, after him, by Houstoun, and adopted by Linne ; but if that be 

 really sui generis, it will now be necessary to particularise it with the title 

 of Richardson^; for Kruitz has lately named Calla aethidpica of Linne' 

 after the excellent French carpologist, with stricter propriety, Richards. 



Our celebrated countryman lived to the age of 77 years and 7 months, 

 dying on the 21st of April, 1741. A bust, which would not disgrace 

 Chantry's chisel, is placed on a simple monument at the head of his grave, 

 in the chancel of New Chapel, near Cleck Heaton, with the following 

 epitaph : — 



M. S. 

 Richardi Richardson, M.D. F.R.S. 



Rerum naturas investigando, veterum monumenta perscrutando, apprime 

 sciens, ille artem medicam, summa cum felicitate, summa etiam liberalitate, 

 exercuit ; mitis animi candore, singulari morum suavitate, spectatissimus. 

 Vixit annos 77. Decessit, A.C. 1741. {Com. by R. A. S., Esq., April, 1826.) 



Gilbert Slater, Esq., late of Low-Eayton, Essex. 



This gentleman, who died in 1794, was, from his earliest years, pas- 

 sionately fond of plants ; and was not less respected for his amenity, libe- 

 rality, and every characteristic of a gentleman, for his opulence and 

 honour as an English merchant, than for his enthusiasm as a botanical 

 collector. His gardens, and their extensive buildings, were the de'pot 

 of every thing valuable, curious, and rare. He spared no expense in pro- 

 curing and cultivating an extensive and well-collected assortment of 

 exotics ; and, being all his life connected with East India commerce and 

 shipping, was indefatigable in procuring from them the vegetable beauties 

 described in the writings of Ksempfer, Thunberg, and Du Halde. He wrote 

 and printed lists and directions for collecting and transporting seeds and 

 plants, which he distributed among his friends in the China trade ; and, 

 though year after year disappointed in only receiving what he had had 

 ten times before, yet he persisted in his endeavours, and, by unceasing ex- 

 pense, still hoped to possess the beautiful magnolias, the camellias, the 

 paeonies, and azaleas of China. For this purpose, he sent out in his own 

 ships three young gardeners (two of whom never returned) at different 

 times ; and, had he lived but a few months longer, he would have had the 

 long wished for gratification of finding himself possessed of many of those 

 plants which he had so long desired to see, and which have been, and now 

 are, the most splendid ornaments of our gardens. 



In his lifetime he had great pleasure in introducing several plants, which 

 are still great favourites, viz. the Hydrangea, i?6sa semperflorens, Volka- 

 meria indica, Magnolia pumila (or night-smelling), and various others of less 

 beauty ; and, notwithstanding many Chinese plants are now introduced 

 which Mr. Slater never had any description of, yet several contained in his 

 list are still strangers ; and, should any other new genus be obtained from 

 that source (the field of Mr. Slater's exertions), it would be but a consistent 

 act in Decandolle or Mr. Brown, to perpetuate a name which has so fair a 

 claim upon their consideration. 



The above memoir is sent to the Gardener's Magazine by one who is 

 desirous of giving it publicity, from a dutiful impulse of grateful remem- 

 brance due to the respected memory of a kind and generous master. — J. M. 



