1832.] Review of Indian Botany. 137 



together, form one whole, interpret each other, and are well calculated 

 to give a correct view of his labors as an Indian botanist. 



The present work, containing descriptions of all the new plants which 

 he had discovered, as well as notices of those which, though previously de- 

 scribed, he had found in India, was completed many years ago, and the 

 manuscript deposited with Dr. Carey, the venerated Editor of the work. 

 An idea of the labours of Dr. Roxburgh may be formed by an inspection 

 of the catalogue published by Dr. Carey, called the Hortus Bengalensis 

 and which may be considered an index to the present work. This 

 was published in 1814, at the time that Dr. Roxburgh was obliged 

 to make a voyage to sea for the benefit of his health, when Dr. Carey 

 embraced the opportunity of his absence to bear testimony to those 

 abilities, that zeal and success which had been so eminently displayed 

 in bringing the Botanic Garden to its then state of perfection. We quote 

 his words from the Government Gazette of August, 1831. 



" The garden was begun by Colonel Kyd, in March, 1786, and collections of 

 plants from different parts of the east were soon introduced into it with such success 

 that the number of plants brought into it in eight years amounted to more than three 

 hundred. Dr. Roxburgh joined it in autumn, 1798. His unremitted attention to 

 its improvement, and his eminent abilities as a botanist, are far more fully exhibited 

 in the following catalogues than they could possibly be by any eulogium from a 

 friend. The number of described species now in the garden amounts to 3500 • for 

 the knowledge of no fewer than 1510, as named and described in this catalogue we 

 are indebted to his indefatigable and discriminating researches. Among these are a 

 great number of new genera, some of which have a considerable number of species 

 ascertained ; to these should be added those plants containedin the second catalogue 

 which, though not in the Botanical garden, have been described and many of them 

 accurately drawn by him : these amount to 453. The extensive correspondence 

 which he maintained, not only with gentlemen in all parts of India butin most parts 

 of the world, will be witnessed by the list of donors to the garden which he superin- 

 tended; and the liberality with which he always communicated to those who 

 applied to him, requires no other witness than the universal voice of the inhabitants 

 of India, and even of many in Europe and America, to whom he constantly sent 

 supplies. He was elected member of the following Societies: — Phil. Soc. and Linn. 

 Soc. of Philadelphia, — Soc. Encour. Arts, — Roy. Soc. Physicians,Edinburgh, — Linn. 

 Soc. London, — Roy. Soc. Edin. — Soc. Nat. Hist, at Berlin." 



The above extract gives a succinct view of the invaluable labours 

 of Dr. Roxburgh, and though his work cannot be considered as an en- 

 tire account of all the plants of India, yet it is a tolerably full one of 

 what is commonly considered India, that is of the peninsula and of the 

 plains of Hindusthan ; for in Dr. Roxburgh's time the north-western 

 and hill provinces were little known, and Silhet, Assam, and Ava had 

 been, with the exception of the former, but little explored. It is still 

 therefore, though completed so many years ago, the best work we have 



