induced the proprietor of this work to execute the etchings for it himself."

Desirous of obtaining the critical remarks of Mr. Kerrich, Mr. Stothard gladly conveyed to him the first number of his work. "Of this gentleman, who is still living, delicacy," says Mrs. Stothard, in her admirable sketch of the life of her lamented husband, "forbids me speaking all I feel; but gratitude for the friendship and kindness he evinced towards my husband during his life, and towards myself since his decease, forbids my being silent. Mr. Kerrich was one of the earliest and most zealous friends Charles ever found. To great antiquarian knowledge he united the most accurate skill as a draughtsman. Of his judgment my husband entertained the highest opinion, and always declared that, to his just and candid criticism during the progress of the work, he felt greatly indebted for much of its improvement. Mr. Kerrich, he would say, is a severe judge; but one who never bartered his sincerity for compliment, and whose praise was worth receiving, as it was the commendation of judgment without flattery.” *

And, again, speaking of this gentleman, Mr. Stothard himself observes, "You, amongst other things, say that you think my etchings superior to those of Mr. Kerrich; but you are not, perhaps, aware that, if they really are so, it is in consequence of the judicious remarks and criticism I have received from that gentleman, from time to time; and it was the very severe opinion that he gave me on my first number, which induced me to endeavour at acquiring that sort of excellence he then pointed out, and to which I look forward still with anxious hope." +

On the 11th of May, 1815, Mr. Kerrich exhibited, to the Society of Antiquaries, an urn, which had been found a few days before, by some labourers who were employed to remove one of the barrows upon Newmarket Heath, called the Bea

* Memoirs of Stothard, p. 37.

Ibid. p. 129. In this very interesting biographical notice of Mr. Stothard, whose premature decease every lover of the arts must sincerely deplore, are two letters from Mr. Stothard to Mr. Kerrich on the subject of Monumental Effigies, viz. at p. 123. and p. 261.

The dia

con Hills. This urn stood upon what, probably, was the surface of the earth before the tumulus was raised. meter of the barrow was near thirty yards, and the perpendicular height, probably, about eight or nine feet. There are more of these tumuli remaining, some of them very near to the place on which that out of which the urn came stood. A print of the urn, from a drawing by Mr. Kerrich, may be seen in the eighteenth volume of the Archæologia.

In 1820, Mr. Kerrich communicated to the Society of Antiquaries, “Observations on the Use of the Mysterious Figure, called Vesica Piscis, in the Architecture of the Middle Ages, and in Gothic Architecture." In this paper Mr. Kerrich remarks, that, in his observations on Gothic architecture, formerly presented to the Society, he had ventured to express his belief, that the rules and principles of it might be recovered by a patient examination of the numerous buildings in that style still remaining; and that, in his notes to those observations, he had stated that the mysterious figure, which seemed to have been called Vesica Piscis, had a great influenee upon the forms of all sorts of things which were intended for sacred uses, after the establishment of Christianity. He then proceeds to point out many instances in which that influence seems to be apparent, not only in the plans of churches and chapels, and of other religious buildings, but in their arches, doors, windows, pinnacles, spires, &c. The paper is published in the nineteenth volume of the "Archæologia," and is accompanied by no fewer than sixty-five figures, engraved on fourteen plates, in illustration of Mr. Kerrich's opinions.

To Mr. Kerrich's other attainments in the arts, was added that of taking portraits. The heads of Robert Glynn, M.D., 1783; Rev. James Bentham, F.S.A., the Historian of Ely, 1792; the Rev. Robert Masters, F.S.A., the Historian of Bene't College, 1796; the Rev. William Cole, F.S.A., the indefatigable individual whose letter was before quoted, were all engraved by Facius, from drawings by Mr. Kerrich. Dr. Glynn Cloberry (such was latterly his name), on his death, in 1800, left Mr. Kerrich his executor, with a legacy of 5000l.

Mr. Kerrich married the daughter of Mr. Hale, a surgeon at Cambridge. His death took place at Cambridge, on the 10th of May, 1828, in the eighty-first year of his age.

The "Gentleman's Magazine," and the "Archæologia," have furnished the materials for this Memoir.

301

No. XXIII.

SIR JAMES EDWARD SMITH, M.D. F. R.S.

PRESIDENT (FROM ITS ESTABLISHMENT) OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY; HON. MEMBER OF THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY; MEMBER OF THE ACADEMIES OF STOCKHOLM, UPSAL, TURIN, LISBON, PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK, &c., THE IMPERIAL ACAD. NATURÆ CURIOSORUM; AND THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AT PARIS.

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For the following Memoir of this eminent naturalist, and most excellent and amiable man, we are principally indebted to the Philosophical Magazine." We have, however, availed ourselves of an interesting character of him in the "Monthly Repository;" and several additional circumstances have been obligingly communicated to us, from a private and authentic source.

Sir James Edward Smith was born in the city of Norwich, December 2. 1759. He was the eldest of seven children, whose father, a Protestant Dissenter, and a respectable dealer in the woollen trade, was a man of much intelligence and vigour of mind. His mother, who was the daughter of a clergyman, lived in Norwich to the advanced age of 88; and will long be remembered for the benevolence, cheerfulness, and activity of her character.

It is probably to the locality of his birth that we are to attribute the early predilection of the subject of this Memoir for natural history; for at Norwich he fell in with some of the

earliest and most devoted disciples of the great Linnæus. This city has, for more than two hundred years, been famous for its florists and botanists. Here lived and flourished Sir Thomas Browne, the author of " Vulgar Errors," and "The Garden of Cyrus, or the quincuncial, lozenge, or network Plantations of the Ancients, artificially, naturally, and mystically considered." A weaver of this commercial place claims the honour of having been the first person who raised, from seed, a Lycopodium; as a Manchester weaver was the first to flower one of our rarest Jungermanniæ. During the middle of the last century, Mr. Rose, the author of the "Elements of Botany," Mr. Pitchford, and Mr. Crowe, names familiar to every botanist, took the lead in botanical science in their native city; and instilled into the youthful mind of the future President an ardent attachment to their favourite pursuit, and the skill in discriminating species for which these gentlemen were so eminent. Having remained the usual time at a school in the city, he went, in the year 1780, to the University of Edinburgh, where he distinguished himself by obtaining the gold medal given to the best proficient in botany.

Upon leaving Edinburgh, he came up to London to finish his studies, and soon became acquainted with the late Sir Joseph Banks. This acquaintance, and the access it obtained for him to men of science, only riveted more firmly his ardent attachment to botany; and, accordingly, we find Sir Joseph recommending him, as early as 1783, to become the purchaser of the Linnæan collection. As this circumstance laid the foundation of the President's future fame, and is one of peculiar interest at the present moment, we shall detail the history of the transaction.

The younger Linnæus had died suddenly, Nov. 1. 1783; and his mother and sisters, desirous of making as large a profit as they could by his museum, within a few weeks after his death, offered, through a mutual friend, the whole collection of books, manuscripts, and natural history, including what belonged to the father as well as the son, to Sir Joseph Banks, for the sum of one thousand guineas. Sir Joseph declined