394 A SKETCH OF THE PROGRESS OF 



was a private garden, and was not scientifically arranged, he gave lectures 

 there on Botany, instead of at Apothecaries Hall. 



In 1774, some results of his explorations were printed in a Catalogue of 

 Plants growing Wild in the Environs of London. This was published 

 anonymously: it contains 632 Phanerogamic and 211 Cryptogamic species 

 (of which 21 are Ferns, &c.). It is of little use, no localities, not even the 

 county, being given, nor any indication of whether or not Curtis had himself 

 observed all of them. 



Three years after this, in 1777, he commenced his great work, original in 

 design as in matter, the Flora Londincnsis. Before entering on this under- 

 taking, he issued an address to the public on the subject, and although not 

 much encouraged, he persevered. This excellent book, of which Sir J. E, 

 Smith remarks that it ' ranks next to Eay's Synopsis in original merit and 

 authority upon English plants,' was published in numbers, each of which 

 contained six plates with descriptions in folio, the price 2s. Qd. uncoloured, 

 and 6s. coloured.* Twelve numbers formed a fasciculus, of which sis 

 ( = 72 numbers) were issued, each with an index. The book is generally 

 bound in two volumes, and the whole number of plates is 435. 



It was the labour of his life to make this as perfect as possible, and ho 

 devoted to it the profits of his lectures, the subscriptions to his garden, and 

 the money left him by his father. It progressed very slowly. Dr. Thornton 

 says, ' like a funeral,' and was never profitable to the author. Once it came 

 to a full stop ; but Dr. Lettsom, finding Curtis in debt, very kindly gave him 

 600/. unsolicited, and 'without any proper security.' Curtis was persuaded 

 to try an octavo edition, of which a very few numbers appeared. 



Three hundred copies of each number were printed ; the first volume is 

 dedicated to the Earl of Bute, a great patron of Botany, and the second to 

 Dr. Lettsom, who so materially helped the publication. No pains were 

 spared in its production ; the figures are life-size, full- coloured, and almost 

 always very accurate. The artist employed was chiefly Mr. Sydenham 

 Taste Edwards, but many of the drawings of the earlier numbers were by 

 Mr. Kilburn, Mr. Milton, Mr. Sansom, and Mr. Sowerby; the whole of the 

 colouring was done by Mr. William Graves, who was Curtis's constant as- 

 sistant till the latter's death. The descriptions show a critical acquaintance 

 with plants, and many species were first well defined and separated from 

 their congeners in these pages. Curtis at first intended to include only the 

 plants found within ten miles of London, but he was led, from a feeling of 

 rivaby with JE'«^&/« .Botewy, of which the first number appeared in 1790, 

 to figure in the later numbers some from distant parts of England. It is to 

 be regretted that while so many London plants remained to be figured, the 

 consistency of the book sliould have been destroyed in this manner.f 



* ' A few copies highly-finished. Is. 6d.' — Smilh. 



t After Curtis's death the Flora Londinensis was sold (in ISl?) to Mr. Geo. Graves, and 

 in 1815 a continuation was commenced by Professor (afterwards Sir) William J. Hooker, 

 then of Glasgow. This was published in numbers, and the first volume completed in 1821; 

 in 1828 a second volume was finished. As the whole of the original work was at the same 

 time re-issued in three volumes, the tAvo new volumes are generally called vols. iv. and v . 

 In these the illustratiou of London botany is by no means made a prominent object. 



