122 
biacee, to the subject of our memoir, 
under the name of Jackia ornata, and 
there further remarked, “ I have dedicated 
this new genus to the memory of my de- 
parted friend, the late William Jack, whose 
premature loss I have already adverted 
to above, and whose well-known indefa- 
tigable labours in Natural History, have 
long ago entitled him to the highest re- 
spect. It was the amiable modesty of 
his character, and not any neglect on my 
my d 
excellent botanist during his life-time.” 
It was Dr. Wallich, again, who sug- 
gested to me the propriety of republish- 
ing in my “ Botanical Miscellany,” Mr. 
Jack’s botanical papers, from the “ Ma- 
layan Miscellanies,” so that they might 
be rendered available to the student of 
Indian plants in Europe ; and the kindness 
of that friend having supplied me with the 
necessary volumes, I commenced the re- 
print of them in a series of papers in that 
work, and in the “ Botanical Journal,” 
and propose here to conclude them. But 
it was s impossible for me to do this without 
w to know something more of the 
enm of the lamented author, and with- 
out desiring also that the scientific public 
should benefit by such knowledge. The 
Rev. Dr. Fleming, late of Flisk, and 
now the professor of Natural Philosophy, 
in King's College, Aberdeen, whose ser- 
vices rendered to the cause of Natural 
History need no eulogium from my pen, 
at the request of a mutual friend, made 
known my wishes to his parents, the Rev. 
Dr. Jack, principal of King's College, 
Aberdeen, and Mrs. Jack, who not only 
most obligingly communicated a large 
portion of his letters, permitting me to 
use such of them as I might think ne- 
; but, what is far more valuable, 
which his letters bear no reference. It 
will presently be seen, that all his MSS. 
and papers, which were to have been 
— sone cue Sir Stamford Raffles, 
MEMOIR OF THE LATE MR. WILLIAM JACK. 
S Ire 
s Sn 
that disastrous fire, which is so feelingly ? 
described by Lady Raffles, in her faithful — 
and affectionate memoirs of her husband. | 
Thus circumstanced, and not having We l 
the happiness of any personal acquaintance 
with Mr. Jack, I must necessarily confine 
myself to the little memoir communicated 
by the accomplished lady, his mother, ex- 
tracts from his letters after quitting home, , 
and some of the many testimonials to 
his character, written by those who had 
frequent intercourse with him, and who 
had the best means of forming a due esti- 
mate of his virtues and his attainments 
in literature and science. It is deeply to 
be regretted, that his papers were not pre- 
served, and that Sir Stamford Raffles did 
not live to fulfil his intentions of giving to 
the world a life of Mr. Jack, which would, 
indeed, have rendered ample justice to his 
memory, and have superseded the present - 
brief sketch, the chief object of which, is - 
to serve as a memorial of his botanical 
acquirements, and his many and estimable 
qualities. 
William Jack, son of Dr. William Jack, 
principal of Aberdeen, was born at King's 
College, in that city, on the 29th of — 
January, 1795. He showed uncommon . 
intelligence from his early infancy, and . 
learned almost insensibly to read, so that at 
three years old, he could read fluently, with — 
FU du tem 
astonished and pleased at the uncommon | | 
proficiency of his youthful pupil, that he — | 
insisted on his exhibiting at one of the 3 
public recitations, where the child deli- 
vered with much propriety of utterance 
and action, Pitt's celebrated reply to Horace 
Walpole. His memory was so quick and 
retentive, that he seldom, in the course of 
his early studies, needed to go twice over — 
the same lesson; yet, that he might be 
well-grounded, he proceeded twice through — 
the Latin rudiments at home, and at six 
years of age, entered a class at the gram- 
longer. Here, he immediately 
