8 HENRY FLETCHER HANCE, 
He often refers in his letters to as time and labour are in 
the care of such a large collection, and, as an instance, I m 
quote from that of Ootsbes 30th, 1873. Although he re that 
e is far from well, he says:—‘‘I am overwhelmed with botanical 
work. I have just got the second volume, per I., of the ‘ Genera,’ 
extending to the end of Composite, and I m t at once set to and 
arrange my own herbarium so far by it...... Yesterday I 
took the entire day to do the Caprifoliacee, and I dare say two 
months hiss not cover all my work. It is a heavy task.” 
His a correspondence wes probably more extended and 
more iolacaa than e been necessary for him in 
Europe. For i in 5 ibis way = oon he hope to keep touch with 
the movement of his time, deprived, as he was, for long weeks 
matters submitted to him. I have before me his letter of August - 
8th, 1874, when, as he wrote, the thermometer was at 90°, and he 
exception of half an hour for my two slender meals, I have been 
at work without soon since 6 a.m.; so I am tired, and must 
go to by-by.’ 
Another cause of interruption to consecutive 7 was the 
constant stream | of specimens sent from various parts of China, 
assistant for herbarium work, the mere sorting and manipulation 
of these specimens entailed an expenditure of time which, for a 
man of his oie: must be regarded as actual waste. Further- 
more, while in earlier years the plants generally belonged to 
districts with pa flora of which he was familiar, the amount of 
fresh material tha at came in, as the area of exploration was 
h m i 
Later o, he seems to have experienced a new difficulty, as the 
growth of his pearaccbac extended his own knowledge of plants far 
beyond the limits of Eastern Asia. On November 6th, 1881, he 
Chinese sini without caraial pr ve liminary oo ne 
But, after all, the chief reason for his rather desultory scientific 
work must be sought i in the nervous depression, physical weakness, 
and disease which resulted from his prolonged residence in the 
Steaming atmosphere of Geral rice-fields. According to his own 
account, he was delicate as a child, and reaching Hongkong at an 
