SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



i6i 



SAMUEL STEVENS. 



'J'llli name of Steveni has been so long associated 



*■ with the historic auction rooms in Kiny Street, 

 Covent Garden, that independently of the late Mr. 

 Samuel Stevens' scientific attainments, his death 

 marks a period. lie was born on the i ith of March, 

 1817, we believe at Kennington, in the suburbs of 

 London, his father being John .Stevens, a man of 

 artistic taste, which has been transmitted in a marked 

 manner down 

 to the present 

 generat ion. 

 Sanuiel sutler- 

 ed from deli- 

 cate health in 

 his childhood 

 and youth, 

 when his chief 

 occupation was 

 ilrawing with 



a lead pencil. 



In this art he 



must have ex- 



celle<l, for at 



the early age 



if thirteen he 



look the Roy.il 



Society of Art's 



medal for two 



drawings, of 



which he was 



naturally 



proud to the 



end of his life. 



They occupied 



.1 place of 



honour on the 



wall of the 



entrance hall 



in his house at 



Heulah Hill. 



He applied 



himself so 



closely to his 



drawing that 



it was feared 



his health wotdd suft't 



Mopped his progress. 



■, and his parents reluctantly 

 He then devoted his attention 

 to the study of Natural History and the acquisition of 

 specimens, which was his recreation and pleasure to 

 the end of his life. Entomology occupied his chief 

 attention, and he consequently amassed a large collec- 

 tion covering several Orders. This he has left to his 

 nephew, Mr. John Stevens, but it is probable that it 

 will be dispersed in the King Street rooms. 



The Stevens' Auction Rooms were founded in 

 1760 apparently by King and Lochee. They were 

 Nov. 1899.— No. 66, Vol. VI. ' 



joined later by a -Mr. Thomas, and about 1818 a 

 brother of Samuel Stevens became partner to the 

 latter, eventually succeeding to the business which 

 is still known by his name. He was the celebrated 

 John Crase Stevens. 



During the early part of his life, Samuel does not 

 appear to have had any special occupation, but in 

 1840 he joined in partnership with his brother, J. C. 



Stevens, with 

 whom he re- 

 mained unti 

 184S, when he 

 left loestablish 

 a Natural His- 

 tory agency at 

 24, Blooms- 

 bury Street, 

 acting among 

 others for 

 Messrs. Wal- 

 lace and Bates 

 in their Ama- 

 zonian explo- 

 rations. On 

 the death of 

 Mr. J. C. 

 Stevens in 

 1859 Samuel 

 look charge of 

 the King 

 Street business 

 on behalf of 

 the widow, 

 and continued 

 until his 

 nephews, 

 Henry and 

 Joseph, took 

 over the nian- 

 a g e m e n t . 

 During that 

 time he had 

 continued his 

 Bloomsbury 

 business, but 

 in 1867 he sold it to a Mr. Higgins, and later 

 it was closed. Afterwards the subject of our notice 

 devoted all his time as an amateur to Natural 

 History pursuits. He was a regular attendant at the 

 Entomological Society and frequently at the Linnean, 

 of both of which he was a fellow. He was also a 

 member of the Entoinological Club, being a member 

 for 50 vears. In fact Samuel Stevens was long con 

 sideted as the doj'en of the entomological fraternii)- 

 in this country. His pleasant smile and genial 

 words being familiar at most scientific functions for 



Sa>U'EI, Stkvhns. 



