274° THE ESSEX GNATURALISH 
the letters bearing later dates in the Society’s collection which, 
although written and signed by T. F. Forster, yet show marked 
deterioration in caligraphy from his more youthful script. 
One of the six extra plants given above, Mentha gentilis, 
is recorded as having been found “‘ by the side of a mill stream 
in Mr. Thomas Williams’s grounds, the Grove at Westham.”’ 
Now Thomas Williams was father of the lady (Susanna Williams), 
whom T. I. Forster married in 1788, and one is tempted to sur- 
mise that the latter’s no doubt frequent visits to Stratford just 
before that interesting time approximately date the finding 
of this Mint as being only very shortly before the actual publica- 
TIOtLOl thea VcIntOns ain eT 7 OA 
We may note also that G. S. Gibson, in his “ Flora of Essex,” 
1862, credits Thomas Furly Forster with being the first recorded 
discoverer of Ranunculus parviflorus, Corydalis claviculata, Sedum 
album (with a note of interrogation), Ophrys apifera and Cystop- 
teris alpina, allin 1778. In recording Cystopteris alpina he says : 
“A MS. note, apparently written by T. F. Forster, about 1778, 
in the Plante Woodfordienses, is the earliest known notice of 
it.” This statement suggests that Gibson must have seen, or 
actually had in his possession, the annotated copy of Warner’s 
book now under discussion. 
I suggest that Gibson came into possession of this, T. F. 
Forster’s own annotated copy of the “‘ Plante,” probably by gift 
‘or purchase from Pamplin, and that he made use of it in con- 
nection with the preparation of his “ Flora of Essex ’’ ; hence 
his knowledge of the earliest local records of the several plants 
_mentioned and of the date of such records. 
Since the above-was written, confirmation of the suggestion 
made has unexpectedly come to hand. In a MS. biography 
of Richard Warner, written by the late Professor G. 5. Boulger, 
and presented to the Club by his executor, reference is made 
to a copy of the Plante “ that apparently belonged originally 
to Thomas Furly Forster and subsequently to Mr. Pamplin and to 
the late“G..S. Gibson, Esq., author of the Blorayoneiscex. a. 
There can be little doubt that the copy mentioned by Prof. 
Boulger is identifiable with the volume now being described. 
Each interleaved blank page which happens to bear an annota- 
tion has had the top corner carefully turned down to mark it ; 
