Watfon, 297 
London ; and, during his apprentlcefhip, he 
gained the honorary premium given annu- 
ally by the Apothecaries Company, to fuck 
young men as exhibit a fuperiority in the 
knowledge of plants, in thofe excurlions 
made by the Demonftrator of Chelfea Gar« 
den 'y and inftituted for the purpofe of ini* 
tiating the appreatices of the Company in a 
fcience fo neceflary to the profeffion. This 
premium, as hath been obferved in the 
eourfe of the preceding pages, conlifted of a 
handfomely bound copy of Ray's Synopjis. 
He continued, at times, throughout his life, 
to attend on thefe occafions, and meet his 
former affociates with great pleafure and 
delight. 
In 1738, Mr. Watson married, and fet 
up in buiinefs for himfelf. His fkill, his 
activity, and diligence in his profeffion, foon 
diftinguifhed him among his acquaintance; 
as did his tafle for natural hiftory, and his 
general knowledge of philofophical fubjedls 
among the members of the Royal Society, 
of which honourable body he was eledted a 
member early in the year 1741 ^ his two 
firft communications being printed in the 
41ft 
