GEORGE BENTHAM. _ 855 
In 1829 he undertook the Secretaryship of the Royal Horti- 
cultural Society, at a period when by excessively wasteful expendi- 
ture the Society was reduced to a very low ebb. Being a common 
friend of Joseph Sabine, the Honorary Betting and Dr. John 
Lindley, the Assistant- peor he took up the burden at their 
bd en ail and only laid it down in 1840, when the gg 
ad be 
Bentham in the ace 8 ebook oe. The Chiswick fétes, too, 
were instituted whilst Mr. Bentham was Secretary, the firs t being 
held on April 8rd, 1882, 1700 people being present. 
attended the gathering of savants at Hamburgh in 
Sicatiy to his delight, as — by his pleasant sig A aie of ri 
after the lapse of half a centt 
y the publication of hin, first important botanical work, 
‘Labiatarum Genera et Species,’ 1832—36, he made his mark in 
the scientifie world. The order needed a m onographer of Bentham’s 
— and po eee mind for sorting it into methodic arrange- 
me iy —_ 
ars a. he married the daughter of Sir Harford 
Brydges, of “Boattthrooks and the next year removed to his late 
uncle’s house in Queen-square Place, where he resided till 1842, 
when he left London for Pontrilas House, Herefordshire. Here 
he continued to work unremittingly upon botany, adding to his 
herbarium and library, as every naturalist must do if far removed 
om great centres of scientific ee until in 1854, when he 
found that his expenses were increasing beyond his means. He 
therefore determined to present his silleotone of plants and books 
to the Royal Gardens at Kew, and returning himself to London. 
Shortly — this he took = his quarters at 25, Wilton Place, an 
resided there until his h 
Henceforward, until the end of last dy he pursued the same 
quiet method: leaving home a few minutes after nine, he drove to 
Vauxhall, proceeding thence by rail to Kew, where he worked from 
= ton nearly ne in the afternoon, returning by the same way he 
came. On his arrival at home he devoted be hour or more to 
writing out haitly. his notes of work done during the day, and ayes 
dined. His meals were breakfast and dinner, separated a 
have seen by a long interval, and he never broke his fast at ‘thas 
times, nor was he at any time other than a spare eater 
his Phe course of life bg varied by a two months’ holiday 
in the autumn of each year, in the country or abroad; and each 
Thur ursday he ake, to me affaire of the Linnean Society, whilst 
doscciboa above, he took in hand the Flora of Hong Kong, the 
inauguration of the Colonial Floras, which have from time to time 
