454 
favourable for the growth of aquatic and 
bog plants, yet this was accompanied by 
many difadvantages for which this fortu- 
nate peculiarity did not prefent an ade- 
quate cempenfation. He therefore deter- 
mined to move; and here follow the 
reafons as detailed by himfelf: 
<‘T had long obierved, with the moft 
pointed regret, that I had an enemy to 
contend with in Lambeth Marth, which 
neither time, nor ingenuity, nor induftry 
eculd vanquith; and that. was the {moke 
ef London ; which, except when the wind 
blew from the fouth, confantly enve- 
loped my plants, wud fhedding its baneful 
influence over them, deftroyed many ; 
and, ina greater or lefs degree, proved 
injurious to moft of them, efpecially the 
Alpine ones. In addition to this grand 
ebiiacle, I had te contend with many 
fmaller ones, which became formidable 
when combined, fuch as the ob{curity of 
the fituation, the badnefs of the roads 
leading to it, with the effluvia of fur- 
rounding ditches, at times highly offenfive. 
“ Neverthelefs, when I reflected on the 
fums I had expended, when I furveyed 
the trees, the fhrubs, and the hedges 
which I had planted, now become orna- 
mental in themfelves, and affording fhel- 
ter to my plants, fuch of thofe inconve- 
piences as I could not have remedied I 
faould have borne with patience, and con- 
tinued my garden pnder all its inconve- 
niences, had nor my landlerd exaéted 
terms for the renewal of my leafe, too 
extravagant to be complied with. 
‘¢ Difappointed, but not difheartened, 
TI refolved to attempt its re-eftablittment 
elfewhere: I looked over the lift of thofe 
who had patronifed my former attempts, 
and finding that the majority of my fub- 
feribers refided to the weftward of the 
city, I fixed on a fpot at Brompton, with 
the advantage at leaft of fome experience 
in the cultivation of plants; and here I 
have witnefled a pleafure I had long wifhed 
for——that of feeing plants grow in perfec 
health and vigour. 
‘That I have good srounds alfo to 
expect that my labours will be crowned 
with fuccefs, the lif of thofe perfons who 
have honoured my garden with their fub- 
fcriptions the fir year of its formation, 
affords me the mott pleafing proof. .In- 
deed, while vegeiables fhall conftitute a 
part of our focd, and there is a neceflity 
to diftinguifh whoielome from poifonous 
ones——while medicines for the cure of our 
difeafes fhall be drawn trom the vegetable 
kingdom—while agriculture, the grand 
fource of the wealth and flrength of all 
Of Botany, and the Brompton Botanic Garden. 
[June q, 
nations, fhall be capable of being improved 
by aclofer attention to our native plants—~ 
while botany fhall be ftudied as an in- 
ftructive fcience, or as an object of ra- 
tional amufement ; or, while the beauties 
ef nature fhall have power to charm, 
fo long a garden, on the plan of the one 
I am endeavouring to eftablifh, will, F 
humbly prefume, meet with the fupport 
of the public.” 
Nor was Mr. Curtis miftaken. His 
plants acquired frefh health and vigour 
from a more congenial pofition ; the num- 
ber of his fubfcribers increafed every 
year, while his own reputation, which 
had been augmented by his leétures and 
his publications, extended not only to the 
remoteft parts of his native ifland, but 
throughout many parts of Europe. Inthis 
enviable fituatiqn, with a fair profpeét of 
wealth and fame opening before him, this 
excellent botanift was fuddenly fnatched © 
from his family, his friends, and the pub. 
lic, on the rith of July, 1799. 
Cn this melancholy occafion, the efta. 
blifhment devolved folely on Mr. William 
Salifbury, firt his affiftant, and afterwards 
his partner. Poffeffing youth, ardour, and 
activity, he has added to the bounds of 
the botanical garden, enereafed the libra- 
ry, multiplied the fpecimens of plants, 
built a houfe for his own refidence on the 
fpot, and feems anxious to adapt the 
eltablifhment for the ufe and accommo. 
dation both of publie focieties and private 
individuals. 
The botanic garden is fituate at Queen’s 
Elm, in the road to Fulham, exaétly one 
mile and a half from Hyde Park Corner, _ 
and about three quarters of a mile from 
Brompton. The fite muft be allowed to 
have been well chofen, for the grounds 
lie open to the fouth and weft, except 
where the plantations are intended to ex- 
clude the fun, while the north-eaft wind, 
by being impregnated with the igauited air 
cf the capital, lofs much of its fharp. 
nefs, and becomes far lefs pernicious than 
it would otherwife be to fuch plants as 
require a bland and genial climate. ‘The 
extent is about three acres and a half, in- 
cluding the ground occupied by the hot. 
houfe, green-houfes, and library; and 
feven acres more, immediately adjoining, 
and now in the occupation of the pro- 
prietor, can at any time be included. __ 
The arrangement is ftriétly Linnzan 3 
and every tree, fhrub, and plant, is la- 
belled {fo as to afford the advantage of an 
ealy reference to the correfpondent num- 
bers in the catalogue. 
Qn approaching, from the Fulham 
ii ~ yoads 
te 
