OBITUARY. 
333 
of Horticulture,’ a work which has done more to put gardening on its proper footing 
than any other, and which in this country went through several editions, and has been 
translated into many European languages by men of real eminence. This same con¬ 
nexion also led him to feel acutely the want of a good weekly gardening newspaper, 
such as Fred. Otto had established in Berlin some years previously, and the ‘ Gardeners’ 
Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette ’ was the result. Dr. Bindley became the editor of 
the paper, and held that office till the day of his death. It offered him a ready field for 
expressing his opinions, freely criticizing all that was unsound and shallow, and holding 
out that helping hand to rising talent so shamefully withheld from him on his first entry 
into scientific life. The ‘ Botanical Register ’ offered another opportunity of advancing 
his favourite science, by figuring and describing the most remarkable new plants that 
came to this country. Many of our garden pets, the names of which have now become 
household words, such as Fuchsias, Verbenas, and Calceolarias, were first made known 
in the pages of that periodical. Dr. Lindley’s particular favourites, however, were none 
of the plants just mentioned, but those most singular of all vegetable forms the Orchids ; 
and it may be said that he brought them into fashion. For many years he laboured 
incessantly to describe their numerous representatives, and interpret their singular struc¬ 
ture. It took him ten years to work out ‘ The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous 
Plants,’ and another ten years to complete various memoirs on these plants, which he 
published under the name of 4 Folia Orchidacea.’ 
“ The writings of Dr. Lindley form quite a library by themselves. There arc amongst 
them both elementary books and works intended merely for leading men of science. His 
‘Fossil Flora of Great Britain’ has endeared him to geologists, and his various works on 
gardening to horticulturists. Perhaps the most widely known of all his works is ‘ The 
Vegetable Kingdom,’ which appeared in 1846, and gives a condensed account of the 
structure, geographical distribution and uses of plants, arranged according to the Natural 
system as understood by him. It was an amplification of his earlier attempts in the 
same direction, and has been found extremely useful. Notwithstanding that its general 
arrangement of the Natural Orders has never been followed by any botanist, it would be 
difficult to name a work which has more advanced the cause Dr. Lindley had so much at 
heart, than this book. When it first appeared, it was stereotyped, and the new editions 
are merely the old matter with some cancels and supplementary pages. ‘1 can do no¬ 
thing more with it,’ we heard him say a few years ago; ‘ I am getting too old to be able 
to sit up half of the nights as I used to do formerly ; and I must leave it to younger 
men to finish what I have begun.’ He w r as right; he was no longer able to sit up half 
the night deeply engaged in study. As it was, he had worked too hard, and overstrained 
his brain. His memory, which had always been most retentive, began to fail; and he 
suddenly found that he must give up all mental labour, at least for a time. There was 
a slight improvement after he had enjoyed some months of undisturbed rest, but it be¬ 
came soon painfully evident to all that the strength of this mental giant was broken, 
that Lindley had laid down his powerful pen, never to take it up again. He had to give 
up his connection with the Horticultural Society altogether, and resign the Professorship 
of Botany at University College, which he had filled for many years. He died of apo¬ 
plexy on Wednesday, the 1st inst., at his residence on Acton Green, deeply regretted by 
a large circle of friends.” 
MR. JOHN EVANS. 
Again has the hand of death been busy in the ranks of the aged members of the drug 
trade and founders of the Pharmaceutical Society, and this month we have to record 
another instance. 
Full of years, and enjoying the respect and love of all who knew him, Mr. John Evans, 
the head and founder of the two eminent drug firms, Evans, Lescher, and Evans, of 
London, and Evans, Sons, and Co., of Liverpool; and (since the death of his contempo¬ 
rary and friend Thomas Herring,) we believe, the father of the drug trade, has passed 
from this earthly scene. 
One of the founders of the Pharmaceutical Society, Mr. Evans, from his naturally 
retiring and unassuming character, and from his aversion to taking part in any pro¬ 
ceedings of a public nature, refrained from personally taking a prominent part in the 
