May 1861.] Biographical Memoir oj Dr. Bottler. 15 



long officially and intimately connected with him, calls the " hea- 

 venly-minded Rottler;" and of whom Sir Thomas Strange remark- 

 ed to Mr. Hough, that " Dr. Rottler had the simplicity of a 

 child and was a Nathaniel without guile."* Well does one of 

 India's most eminent Botanists sum up his character in the following 

 wordst : — "I had the happiness of knowing personally this most 

 worthy Missionary and excellent Botanist, and of corresponding 

 with him. Like Dr. Wm. Carey he was heart and soul devoted to 

 the Missionary cause : he was a great Orientalist, and ardently at- 

 tached to the study of plants." 



Bottler's activity was continued to him up to the close of his 

 long career : and he passed away from his work and his recrea- 

 tions together, at an age to which but very few Europeans have at- 

 tained in India. The closing scenes are told in the following let- 

 ter, (In MS. ) to the Rev. R. A. Denton, Secretary M. D. C. S. P 

 C. K. 



Rev. and Dear Sir, 



I have the painful duty to forward to you a short account of the 

 last illness and death of your Society's aged and venerable Mis- 

 sionary Dr. Rottler. On Wednesday morning Jan. 20, he was 

 seized with paralysis, which terminated in his removal to his hea- 

 venly rest on the following Sunday morning. On the day that he was 

 seized I went to see him and found him not able to speak distinct- 

 ly, his eyes were closed, one side of his face distorted, and without 

 feeling on one side of his body : when I spoke to him he knew me. 

 On Thursday morning I went again to see him and found him 

 somewhat easier ; his face had returned to its natural form. On 

 Friday morning he appeared much weaker and worse, and from 

 this time continued rapidly to sink. On . Saturday morning he was 

 much worse, I mean nearer his end, his breathing more difficult 

 In the evening he had upon him a sweat that showed his death to 

 be at hand. I left him at ten, thinking he might possibly live 

 through the night, but I was called up on Sunday morning about 

 half-past two, and informed that he had just expired. Through- 

 out his whole illness he was evidently at peace both as to body 



* Christianity in India, iii. p. 471. 



t MS. Letter from Mr. Wallich, to Dr. Cleghorn. 



