and Funds of the Horticultural Society. 537 



line of duty, as would be the case with a paid officer. If a person who, for 

 the mere pleasure of control, for the enjoyment of a little patronage, for 

 the mere power of drilling labourers and inducting aspirant assistants to 

 the clipping of edgings, rolling gravel walks, and forking up hot-beds, will 

 undertake a drudgery that others would not go through without being well 

 paid, one must pay him by concession : the result is, that the servant be- 

 comes the master, and you. Sir — the actual President — with your ham- 

 mer, mace. &c., of office, after all, are but a king with a viceroy over you. 

 I have said before, that if you undertake the office, you should perform it. 

 A scientific institution in this country will not do with a King Log : you 

 must govern, or lay down your mace. I suspect that it is odious to you to 

 mix yourself up with the squabbles of a scientific society; that you feel it 

 is beneath a man of your attainments and fortune to interfere when you 

 know things are wrong ; but you must submit to importunity — to vexation 

 — to something else not to be named, to set things right, or you ought to 

 yield your office to some one who will condescend to perform faithfully its 

 duties. Rich, devoted to your garden and the pursuits of science, you are 

 unwiUing to set your shoulder to the wheel : but this is hardly fair; those 

 who placed you where you are depended on your superintendence, and any 

 conduct whatever of yours which disappoints them of their fair expectations 

 is unjust. Of the Council, not many ever attend, and I beheve 1 am cor- 

 rect when I say, the great stars rarely, if ever, appear. These are edged 

 into the list .... 



" I know you never made yourself a party to this nonsense of giving a 

 breakfast in a garden which was originally intended for scientific purposes, 

 and which has not a spark of pretension to beauty or elegance in its dis- 

 position or arrangement. There is not a single building which displays 

 either taste or architectural design in the whole thirty acres. There is not 

 a single bed or border arranged better than may be seen at a common nur- 

 seryman's ; so that there was no excuse that it would improve the taste of 

 the visitors, or leave them in admiration of ours; or that the march of in- 

 tellect, as far as relates to ornamental gardening, would be accelerated by 

 the exhibition. And then the trumpery operation of making a profit by the 

 tickets, like a charity dinner, or a subscription concert. The College of 

 Physicians might as well, instead of their evening parties, give a " tea and 

 turn-out" at so much per head, and then lay out the gains in buying mum- 

 mies for their museum — if, indeed, they have one. But there is another 

 light in which this was objectionable : many individuals in a middling class 

 of life, as well as the aristocracy, are members of the Society. Now it was 

 unfair on this class to give a fete, as it was termed, and put an exorbitant 

 price on the tickets of admission, which would virtually exclude them, or 

 put them to unreasonable expense ; and further, to give a party in their 

 own garden, at which it would be no pleasure to them or their families to 

 be present ; at which, if they appeared, thej' would have some chance of 

 being jostled in the mud by the patrician order. And, if I mistake not, some 

 hints were given as to those who were not wished to attend — those who 

 were expected to remember to forget to come. This only came to me in a 

 whisper, and it may not be true — but enough of this. My chief complaint 

 is of the vianagement. What has been done by the Society? Has there 

 been a bunch of grapes grown that would have been creditable to a market- 

 gardener ? Have we attempted to grow or produce that which people of 

 smaller means or less knowledge could not do ? Have we sought to rival 

 Mr. Loddiges's house, or to exceed what the Duke of Northumberland is 

 doing at Syon? 



" I have before asked, who lectures at the garden ? What instruction is 

 given? What success have the e'leves, who have graduated in the horticul- 

 tural departments of the Society ? What is the general opinion of the 

 concern? What is the number of the seceders? What the number of 



