104 MEMOIR OF DR. HARVEY 



have a Herbarium on the scale of the Royal one of Prussia or 

 Paris, we shall be most happy to send her all manner of plants — 

 nay, it will be our bounden duty ; but unless there is a real, 

 thorough reform in that Institution, it would be foolish to waste 

 specimens on it. I hope when they do go about it they will form 

 a Geographical Herbarium. Such a one in the British Museum, 

 where there is ample space and funds, would be invaluable. Any 

 one, then, wishing to travel in any particular country, might at his 

 ease consult the plants of that country without wading among 

 the endless cabinets he should otherwise be obliged to ferret 

 through. I have a favourite day dream of having such a herbarium 

 under my management, and of living the life of a bookish old 

 bachelor within those venerable walls. 



To the Same. 



April 20, 1838. 

 Last week I took a trip to the Paarl, in the district of 

 Stellenbosch ; the first time I had been so far from Cape Town. 

 T was but a flying visit ; two days spent on the road, and two 

 more in botanising there. I was greatly struck with the difference 

 in the commonest shrubs, though the distance is but thirty-five 

 miles. I spent one day in a trip to Drakenstein Waterfall, about 

 twelve or fourteen miles farther than the Paarl. I got but little 

 there, with the exception of Weinmannia trifoliata, which is the 

 common tree about the Fall. There was, however, Wardia 

 hygrometrica and Andrasa subulata rejoicing in the spray. 

 W. Rutherford took you some plants collected by the Rev. W. 

 Elliot at the Paarl. This gentleman is now busily working for 

 me. I found him in the midst of bundles of specimens, though 

 the poor man was just getting rid of intermitting fever, which 

 had been in his family for three months. There's zeal ! — I hope 

 to get many good things from him, as he is anxious to find and 

 examine every plant within reach. Were all the missionaries 

 like him, my Flora would be a hundred per cent, better, I doubt 

 not. In these long winter evenings, I busy myself making a 

 mult um in parvo Herbarium, with specimens a la Menzies, for the 

 convenience of travelling. They are glued on pieces of note- 

 paper, which are then pinned four in a page in your " books." 

 I calculate I can have a complete series of the Cape Flora within 

 the compass of a small trunk. This will be useful when I visit 



