GEORGE BENTHAM 899 
little as possible ; even when preparing his Flora Australiensis, his 
visits were mainly confined to an examination of the herbarium of 
noticed, nor did he, unless very exceptionally, consult the drawings 
by Sydney Parkinson taken ae their voyage. His evidence 
before the Royal Commission in 1871 was sirongly | in favour bas the 
transference of the National cate to Kew. Mr. Jackson can 
ar g 
details in which the book abounds; and caution seems carried beyond 
due limits when we are told (p. 226) that in 1873 ‘‘ there was some 
brisk correspondence in Nature between Bentham, Sir R. Owen, and 
Mr. Carruthers,” without any hint as to what it was about! That 
Fandlaades expected the union of the herbaria at Kew as a result of 
the C ‘is evident from a remark in his presidential address 
to the Linnean Society in 1871; after a eulogistic reference to Kew, 
he says: “Of the valuable botanical materials accumulated in the 
British Museum Sating the last century, I say nothing now; for 
the natural history portion of that establishment is in a state of 
transition, and my own views as regards botany have been else- 
where expressed.” 
It was in 1874 that the crisis took place at the pence apres 
which resulted in Bentham’s withdrawal from the presidency which 
he had held since 1861. ie Jackson says that ‘‘ an elsasas pre- 
sentation of the case on each side cannot be here attempted,” but 
it is a little unfortunate that he gives only a partial account of it. 
A very little tact on Bentham’s part with regard to the trifling matter 
which led to such serious results would have prevented a scene 
which all regretted; but Bentham was naturally an autocrat, and 
his thirteen years’ control al the Linnean Society ore onfirmed 
im in his autocracy. Those who wish to read a less one-sided 
account of the proceedings will find it in this Journal for 1874, 
pp. 6 
zp oN ever ropotias the means by which a me brought about, 
it may be said that Bentham’s retirement w r the ultimate 
099 of of the ana Ponely: To say this is Pe Z way to under- 
ervices th e devoted more time toit than has 
= ee sident ever done, ee before or since, undertaking the 
botanical portion of the soa work —there was then only 
as & Z ; 
1 e Transactions. But meetings held under his 
presidency gh formal in the extreme. I remember the first whi 
: ana he old rooms at Burlington House in the latte 
r part 
1869. the gee Risee and demonstrations which now ata a 
