The Edinburgh journal of natural and geographical science.

Date:
1829-
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Edinburgh journal of natural and geographical science. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    81/86 (page 313)
    MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. University of Edinburgh Dr. Christison, in his lectures on Medical Juris- prudence, has adopted the only system of education which can reward the labour of the teacher by the proficiency of the pupil. He gives regular examinations on the subjects upon which he has lectured, and stimulates emulation amongst his students, by giving cases or theses as a constant exercise. Dr. C. promises, on many accounts, to sustain and add to the reputation of the University. Dr. Graham, on a recent occasion, during his lectures on Botany, pronounced a well-merited eulogium on the East India Company for their princely liberality in the promotion of botanical science. We find that their garden at Calcutta occupies a surface of several hundred acres, and there are more than 300 labourers employed in it. A number of collectors, paid by the company, are constantly travelling over the countries subjected to its dominion, and continually enriching the garden and collection. This collection is immense, and has been the source of numerous discoveries. Dr. Roxburgh, at a former period, gave a glimpse of the treasures it contains ; and Dr. WaUich is now opening them to view. But besides the great labours of Roxburgh and Wallich, there are others which have been protected or encouraged by the Company. Messrs. Kcenig, Heyne, Carey, Patrick Russel, Rottler, Klein, Wight, Finlayson, &c. have traversed various parts of India, with the view of studying its vegetation. All the collections of dried plants which had been made by these travellers for nearly fifty years past, were sent to London, and presented to the Company's museum. The immensity of these materials made the directors feel that it was impossible to render them useful without the co-operation of a great number of observers. By an order re- markable for its liberality, the Court of Directors has ijistructed Dr. Wallich, who is now for a time in London, to distribute these valuable coUections as pre- sents to the principal botanists of Europe, taking proper measures to secure the publication of them. This liberal distribution has aheady commenced, and it is probable, that from this act of generosity of the Company, we shaU see within a few years the whole of the plants collected in the East Indies increasing the mass of known vegetables. The number of them is estimated to be at least from 7000 to 8000 species, and every one may easily conceive how many facts, ideas, and new analogies will result from this increased addition to our present botany. The East India Company, says M. De CandoUe, has thus acquu-ed the most honourable title to the gratitude of the savans of all countries; and we are very sure that every friend of science will applaud this great act of Hberality, and jom with us in expressing his gratitude. Meeting of Scottish Naturalists—We are gratified in being able to inform our readers, that the proposal we mentioned in our last number is to be carried out. A private meeting of the naturalists of this neighbourhood wiU this sum- mer be held over the festive board, and arrangements will then be made for or- gamzmg a general meeting on ensuing years. The Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin has elected Messrs. Poisson and Arago corresponding members of the Academy, in the room of Laplace and Volta, deceased. Necrology U. Fourier, Member and Perpetual Secretary of the Academy of Sciences, died on the 19th, of May, in his sixtieth year. He was one of the