A. Gray—- Memorial of George Engelmann. 63 
without risk, to leave his practice for two years, to devote most 
of the first summer to botanical investigation in Cambridge, 
and then, with his wife and young son, to revisit their native 
land, and to fill up a prolonged vacation in interesting travel 
and study. In the year 1868 the family visited Europe for a 
year, the son remaining to pursue his medical studies in Berlin. 
And lastiy, his companion of nearly forty years having been 
removed by death in January, 1879, and his own robust health 
having suffered serious and indeed alarming deterioration, he 
sailed again for Germany in the summer of 1888. The voyage 
was so beneficial that he was able to take up some botanical 
investigations, which, however, were soon interrupted by serious 
symptoms. But the return voyage proved wonderfully restora- 
tive; and when, in early autumn, he rejoined his friends here, 
they could hope that the unfinished scientific labors, which he 
at once resumed with alacrity of spirit, might still for a time be 
carried on with comfort. So indeed they were, in some meas- 
ure, after his return to his home, yet with increasing infirmity 
and no little suffering, until the sudden illness supervened 
which, in a few days, brought his honorable and well-filled life 
to a close. 
In the latter’ part of his life Dr. Engelmann was able to 
explore considerable portions of his adopted country, the 
saw for the first time in the state of nature plants which he had 
studied and described more than ,thirty years before. Dr. 
Engelmann’s associates [so one of them declares] will never for- 
get his courage and industry, his enthusiasm and zeal, his 
abounding good nature, and his kindness and consideration of 
every one with whom he came in contact.” His associates, 
and also all his published writings, may testify to his acuteness 
in observation, his indomitable perseverance in investigation, his 
critical judgment, and a rare openness of mind which prompt 
him continually to revise old conclusions in the light of new 
facts or ideas. 
In the consideration of Dr. Engelmann’s botanical work,—to 
which these lines will naturally be devoted,—it should be 
temembered that his life was that of: an eminent and trusted | : a 
