MR. T. SOUTHWELL ON OLD-TIME NORFOLK BOTANISTS. 377 
he resided at Foxley he experimented on the agricultural 
value of various species of Grasses and the trivial names 
which he adopted for them in his published ‘ Observations ’ 
are said to be still in use. While staying with Marsham at 
Stratton in 1755, he wrote his celebrated * Calendar of Flora,’ 
not published till 1761, and in 1759 issued from his pen the 
‘ Miscellaneous Tracts, relating to Natural History and 
Gardening,’ translated from Linnaeus with notes by hims.df; 
this passed through three editions, the preface of which has 
been styled “ the first fundamental treatise on the principles 
of Linnaeus published in England, so that the issue of this 
work may be considered as the era of the establishment of 
Linnaean Botany in England.” It seems curious that a man 
of science like Still ingfleet should have given rise to a term 
which has become stereotyped in the English language as the 
equivalent of a learned lady, to wit, ” Blue Stocking.” yet 
so it is. Still ingfleet formed one of a number of individuals 
who used to meet at the house of Mrs. Elizabeth Montagu 
“ for rational conversation without cards,” a quite original 
departure in those days, and the fact of Stillingfleet's appearing 
at these meetings in unconventional blue worsted stockings 
led to this little coterie being so styled. Dr. Samuel Johnson 
applied to Mrs. Montagu the term “ Queen of the Blues.” 
and this led to the subsequent somewhat opprobrious use of 
the appellation. “ Blue Stocking.” to ladies who ventured to 
be more intelligent than was common. Stillingfleet died 
in 1771. 
At the beginning of the 19th century and perhaps long 
before, floriculture had been very popular among the weavers 
in Norwich, but there were others, mostly in humble circum- 
stances, who amused themselves in “ herborising ” in the 
country, referring their discoveries to the names and descrip- 
tions of old English authors particularly Gerard and Parkinson, 
and sometimes perhaps to Ray. Sir J. E. Smith speaks of 
these people being very numerous at that time and sometimes 
very successful, he attributes their love of floriculture to their 
Dutch origin ; but it must not be imagined that these men 
were all mere dilettanti, many of them were very successful 
VOL. VIII. 
c c 
