Robert Brown, 307 



the researches of Brown have exerted upon the investigation of 

 the laws of organization. Even in zoology the influence of Brown's 

 researches may be traced in the interest attached to the history of 

 development in all its recent systems of classification. Brown 

 had, in fact, in the beginning of the present century, grasped the 

 great ideas of growth and development, which are now the bea- 

 con lights of all research in biological science, whether in the plant 

 or animal world. 



But whilst his influence was thus great, his works are not cal- 

 culated to attract popular attention. They are contained in the 

 Transactions of our learned Societies, in the scientific appendices 

 of quarto volumes of voyages and travels, or in Latin descriptions 

 of the orders, genera, and species of plants. The interest taken in 

 these works by his countrymen was never sufficient to secure for 

 them republication, although a collected edition of his works, 

 in five volumes, is well known in Germany. He was of 

 a diffident and retiring disposition, shunning whatever partook 

 of display, and anxious to avoid public observation. Thus it is 

 that one of our greatest philosophers has passed away without 

 notice, and many will have heard his name for the first time with 

 the announcement of his decease. But for him an undying repu- 

 tation remains, which must increase as long as the great science 

 of life is studied and understood. 



Robert Brown was the son of a Scottish Episcopalian clergy- 

 man, and was born at Montrose on the 21st of December, 17*73 

 He was first entered a student at Marischal College, Aberdeen, and 

 afterwards studied medicine at Edinburgh, where he completed his 

 studies in 1793. In the same year he was appointed assistant- 

 surgeon and subaltern in a Scotch Fencible Regiment, which he 

 accompanied to Ireland, and stayed there till the end of 1800. 

 Having through his love of botany made the acquaintance of Sir 

 Joseph Banks, he was through his interest appointed naturalist to 

 Capt. Flinders's Surveying Expedition to New Holland. During 

 this voyage the whole continent of Australia was circumnavigated 

 many parts of the coast were visited, and eventually the ship in 

 which the Expedition sailed was condemned as unseaworthy at 

 Port Jackson in 1803. Mr. Brown, remained in New Holland, 

 visiting different parts of the colony of New South Wales and 

 Van Diemen's Land, and eventually returned to England in 1805. 

 Australia was then an unexplored mine of botanical wealthy 

 Brown returned with nearly 4,000 species of plants. He was 



