Obituary Notices, by James Hardy. 189 



aid she could get up two dried collections of British ferns, to sell 

 at £1 each set, for the benefit of a " church restoration fund." 

 No wonder how the stock of British ferns is rapidly diminishing. 



Mr Eichardson's kindly disposition was manifested on hearing 

 of the misfortunes of his fellow naturalists in a variety of circum- 

 stances. He could at least speak a comforting word in season, 

 to refresh or uphold the downcast. The following quotation in 

 reference to some such occasion, is from a letter of Mr John 

 Sim, dated Perth, 16th June, 1872. '' I return you my warmest 

 thanks for your very generous and friendly epistle, which this 

 morning I had the pleasure to receive. I very much admire the 

 simple, earnest, unaffected style in which it is written ; the 

 words evidently emanated from the pen of one who possesses an 

 amiable and benevolent spirit ; a man of noble soul and large 

 heart, who loves all mankind — the world wide — and rejoices in 

 the happiness and welfare of our common humanity. Would to 

 God we had more of such men ; a new and auspicious era would 

 dawn upon our sin-curst earth, and our fair and fertile globe 

 would soon again be 'Paradise restored.' " 



In 1866, Mr Eichardson sustained a great domestic affliction in 

 the death of a beloved daughter, which he bore, although feeling 

 keenly, with Christian fortitude. In 1868, he experienced 

 another deprivation in the loss by consumption of his promising 

 nephew, William Eichardson, jun. This youth stayed in Mr 

 Eichardson's house, while learning to be a schoolmaster, and his 

 uncle taught him botany. His nephew was a great help to him 

 in drying plants, arranging his exchanges, and doing part of his 

 correspondence. He contributed a pleasing notice of Eatcheugh 

 Crag and its Plants to the new series of the " Phytologist," vol. 

 v., pp. 97-100 (1861). Had he been spared, and given his at- 

 tention to Botany, he might have become a very successful 

 observer. 



Mr Eichardson's modesty prevented him from contributing to 

 any extent to Botanical periodicals, and when he did venture, he 

 appended only his initials, to what the editor speaking of the 

 first, calls " one of the most important contributions I have had 

 for many a month." I am only acquainted with the articles 

 which he furnished to the "Phytologist," conducted by his 

 friend and correspondent, the late Mr Alexander Irvine. They 

 are : 1. Eare Plants near Spindlestone, Northumberland, Phytol. 



