LINNEA.N SOCIETY OP LONDON. 



lxxxix 



inquiries, was unquestionably owing, in a certain degree, to circum- 

 stances, but was, I fear, principally my fault. I own, with regret, 

 that the cause lay too much in fickleness of pursuit on my part, un- 

 fortunately seconded by an unwarrantable modesty and distrust of 

 yourself on yours." 



Mr. Borrer's extensive and valuable collections of plants, as well 

 as the ample stores of his exact knowledge, were always at the ser- 

 vice of his friends and fellow-labourers. His garden also, which he 

 began to form immediately on being established in premises of his 

 own, gradually increased till it became one of the best, if not the 

 very best collection in this country, of living plants which are capa- 

 ble of bearing its climate. In the autumn of 1860, his gardener, 

 Charles Green, who, under Mr. Borrer's tuition, had acquired con- 

 siderable proficiency in botany, gave a list of 6660 plants contained 

 in it ; and amongst them were above 1000 annuals, a class which, 

 owing to the constant attention required in collecting the seeds, is 

 seldom cultivated to so great an extent. 



But beyond Mr. Borrer's claims to remembrance as a patron and 

 ardent promoter in his own person of botanical and the kindred 

 sciences, his memory will by many be more warmly cherished in his 

 own locality, from his numerous and unostentatious charities, and 

 his zealous endeavours to promote the welfare and best interests of 

 all with whom he was connected ; and the poor always came to him 

 as to a friend. He paid especial attention to the moral and religious 

 advancement of his own parish, in which he was mainly instrumental 

 in increasing the stipend of the incumbent ; making also, at his own 

 expense, large additions to the parish church, for the better accom- 

 modation of the school-children and of his own cottagers. For 

 many years he attended with great interest to the National School, 

 which was established principally by his exertions ; and he also built 

 on his own land a school for girls, and another for infants. Besides 

 these attentions, he generally assembled, at his own house, three or 

 four lads at a time, whom he educated himself for whatever business 

 they might be disposed to choose ; and these he afterwards appren- 

 ticed or placed in various situations ; and there are many, whom he 

 continued to watch over with what may be truly called a fatherly 

 care, now in active business, and esteemed as ornaments to the com- 

 munity. 



By his own brothers, who by their situation were most intimately 

 acquainted with his early life, he has been described as remarkable 

 for his clearsightedness in business, his high sense of religion, his 

 intense abhorrence of anything approaching to vice or immo- 



