160 Obituary. 



Art. V. Obituary^ 



Db. T. F.L.Nees von Esenbeck. — A letter in the Cologne Gazette, dated 

 Bonn, contains the following biographical sketch of the late Dr. Th. Fr. 

 Ludwig Nees von Esenbeck (the younger), professor of pharmacjf and 

 botany in the University of Bonn. He expired on the 12th December, at 

 Hieres, in the south of Fi-ance, vi'hither he had gone, in the hope of impi-oving 

 his health, by the influence of a mild climate. His complaint was con- 

 sumption. 



Nees von Esenbeck was born at Reichensberg, in the Odenwald, on the 

 26th of July, 1787. He passed his youth at Erbach, whither his parents had 

 removed. After he left school, he received instruction in languages and phy- 

 sical science from his elder brother. President and Professor Nees von 

 Esenbeck (now in Breslaw). In his eighteenth year, he commenced a course 

 of pharmacy, under Martius of Erlangen, well known by his writings in that 

 department of science. During eleven years, he attached himself to the pro- 

 fession of pharmacy exclusively, residing part of the time in Erlangen, and 

 part in Basel and Hanau. Botany, however, was his favourite science, and to 

 it he devoted much of his time, both practically and as a teacher. While at 

 Hanau, he accepted the offer of the situation of inspector of the Botanic 

 Garden at Leyden, and he held that office for two years, under Bruggmanns. 

 Here he obtained the degree of doctor in philosophy. The newly instituted 

 University of Bonn, of which his brother had been nominated professor of 

 botany, was the occasion of his quitting Leyden, he being appointed in- 

 spector of the Botanic Garden, and assistant professor of botany to that 

 establishment. From this period he conducted the botanical excursions in 

 the neighbourhood of the university with the most favourable results ; and, 

 by this means, added considerably to the little knowledge which had then 

 been acquired of the flora of that part of the country. In the j'ear 1820, he 

 officiated as private tutor. In 1822, he undertook the continuation of the 

 great copperplate work on medicinal plants, published at Dusseldorf. His 

 appointment as extraordinary professor followed that of ordinary professor of 

 pharmacy. He applied himself cheerfully and with success to the task of 

 instruction : his language was clear and concise. He enriched that branch of 

 science of which he was professor with several essays, inserted in pharma- 

 ceutic journals. Pharmaceutic botany, and the knowledge of drugs, were his 

 favourite departments of science; and he drew from them the subjects on 

 which he chiefly dwelt in his lectures. The Handbook of Pharmaceutic 

 Botany, in three volumes, which he published in conjunction with Dr. Eber- 

 mayer, bears evidence, among other works, of his successful pursuit of know- 

 ledge. After the completion of this work, he undertook the editing of the 

 Genera Plantariim, which has obtained for his name a very conspicuous place 

 in science. Among his latest works, was the first part of the System of the 

 Fungi, which he published conjointly with Herr Henry. He had also com- 

 menced editing, along with Herr Justus Liebig of Giessen, and Dr. Marquart 

 of Bonn, a new edition of Geiger's Handbook of Pharmacy, He was elected 

 fellow of numerous learned societies both foreign and German ; and, among the 

 papers of these bodies, are several essays of his composition on subjects not 

 confined to the sphere of general and pharmaceutic botany. He was buried 

 at Hieres amidst rose trees, orange trees, lavender, and all those sweet chil- 

 dren of flora which he loved so dearly. The funeral ceremonies were per- 

 formed by an evangelical clergyman who came from Toulon for that purpose. 

 His remains were followed to the grave by a numerous train of friends, — ■ 

 G.R. 



