the life of william carey-第62节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
riptions of the mango； guava； and custard apple； plantain； jack； and tamarind； pomegranate； pine…apple； and rose…apple； papaya； date； and cocoa…nut； citron； lime； and shaddock。 Of many of these； and of foreign fruits which he introduced； it might be said he found them poor； and he cultivated them till he left to succeeding generations a rich and varied orchard。
While still in Dinapoor； he wrote on 1st January 1798： 〃Seeds of sour apples； pears； nectarines； plums； apricots； cherries； gooseberries； currants； strawberries； or raspberries； put loose into a box of dry sand； and sent so as to arrive in September； October； November； or December； would be a great acquisition； as is every European production。 Nuts； filberts； acorns； etc。； would be the same。 We have lately obtained the cinnamon tree； and nutmeg tree； which Dr。 Roxburgh very obligingly sent to me。 Of timber trees I mention the sissoo； the teak； and the saul tree； which； being an unnamed genus； Dr。 Roxburgh； as a mark of respect to me； has called Careya saulea。〃
The publication of the last name caused Carey's sensitive modesty extreme annoyance。 〃Do not print the names of Europeans。 I was sorry to see that you printed that Dr。 Roxburgh had named the saul tree by my name。 As he is in the habit of publishing his drawings of plants； it would have looked better if it had been mentioned first by him。〃 Whether he prevailed with his admiring friend in the Company's Botanic Garden to change the name to that which the useful sal tree now bears； the Shorea robusta； we know not； but the term is derived from Lord Teignmouth's name。 Carey will go down to posterity in the history of botanical research； notwithstanding his own humility and the accidents of time。 For Dr。 Roxburgh gave the name of Careya to an interesting genus of Myrtace？ The great French botanist M。 Benjamin Delessert duly commemorates the labours of Dr。 Carey in the Mus閑 Botanique。
It was in Serampore that the gentle botanist found full scope for the one recreation which he allowed himself； in the interest of his body as well as of his otherwise overtasked spirit。 There he had five acres of ground laid out； and； in time； planted on the Linn鎍n system。 The park around； from which he had the little paradise carefully walled in； that Brahmani bull and villager's cow； nightly jackal and thoughtless youth； might not intrude； he planted with trees then rare or unknown in lower Bengal； the mahogany and deodar； the teak and tamarind； the carob and eucalyptus。 The fine American Mahogany has so thriven that the present writer was able； seventy years after the trees had been planted； to supply Government with plentiful seed。 The trees of the park were so placed as to form a noble avenue； which long shaded the press and was known as Carey's Walk。 The umbrageous tamarind formed a dense cover； under which more than one generation of Carey's successors rejoiced as they welcomed visitors to the consecrated spot from all parts of India； America； and Great Britain。 Foresters like Sir D。 Brandis and Dr。 Cleghorn at various times visited this arboretum； and have referred to the trees； whose date of planting is known； for the purpose of recording the rate of growth。
For the loved garden Carey himself trained native peasants who； with the mimetic instinct of the Bengali； followed his instructions like those of their own Brahmans； learned the Latin names； and pronounced them with their master's very accent up till a late date； when Hullodhur； the last of them； passed away。 The garden with its tropical glories and more modest exotics； every one of which was as a personal friend； and to him had an individual history； was more than a place of recreation。 It was his oratory； the scene of prayer and meditation； the place where he began and ended the day of lightwith God。 What he wrote in his earlier journals and letters of the sequestered spot at Mudnabati was true in a deeper and wider sense of the garden of Serampore：〃23rd September； Lord's Day。Arose about sunrise； and； according to my usual practice； walked into my garden for meditation and prayer till the servants came to family worship。〃 We have this account from his son Jonathan：
〃In objects of nature my father was exceedingly curious。 His collection of mineral ores； and other subjects of natural history； was extensive； and obtained his particular attention in seasons of leisure and recreation。 The science of botany was his constant delight and study； and his fondness for his garden remained to the last。 No one was allowed to interfere in the arrangements of this his favourite retreat； and it is here he enjoyed his most pleasant moments of secret devotion and meditation。 The arrangements made by him were on the Linn鎍n system； and to disturb the bed or border of the garden was to touch the apple of his eye。 The garden formed the best and rarest botanical collection of plants in the East； to the extension of which； by his correspondence with persons of eminence in Europe and other parts of the world； his attention was constantly directed； and； in return； he supplied his correspondents with rare collections from the East。 It was painful to observe with what distress my father quitted this scene of his enjoyments； when extreme weakness； during his last illness； prevented his going to his favourite retreat。 Often； when he was unable to walk； he was drawn into the garden in a chair placed on a board with four wheels。
〃In order to prevent irregularity in the attendance of the gardeners he was latterly particular in paying their wages with his own hands； and on the last occasion of doing so； he was much affected that his weakness had increased and confined him to the house。 But； notwithstanding he had closed this part of his earthly scene； he could not refrain from sending for his gardeners into the room where he lay； and would converse with them about the plants； and near his couch； against the wall； he placed the picture of a beautiful shrub； upon which he gazed with delight。
〃On this science he frequently gave lectures； which were well attended； and never failed to prove interesting。 His publication of Roxburgh's Flora Indica is a standard work with botanists。 Of his botanical friends he spoke with great esteem； and never failed to defend them when erroneously assailed。 He encouraged the study of the science wherever a desire to acquire it was manifested。 In this particular he would sometimes gently reprove those who had no taste for it； but he would not spare those who attempted to undervalue it。 His remark of one of his colleagues was keen and striking。 When the latter somewhat reprehended Dr。 Carey； to the medical gentleman attending him； for exposing himself so much in the garden； he immediately replied； that his colleague was conversant with the pleasures of a garden； just as an animal was with the grass in the field。〃
As from Dinapoor； so from Serampore after his settlement there； an early order was this on 27th November 1800：〃We are sending an assortment of Hindoo gods to the British Museum； and some other curiosities to different friends。 Do send a few tulips； daffodils； snowdrops； lilies； and seeds of other things； by Dolton when he returns； desiring him not to put them into the hold。 Send the roots in a net or basket； to be hung up anywhere out of the reach of salt water； and the seeds in a separate small box。 You need not be at any expense； any friend will supply these things。 The cowslips and daisies of your fields would be great acquisitions here。〃 What the daisies of the English fields became to Carey； and how his request was long after answered； is told by James Montgomery； the Moravian； who formed after Cowper the second poet of the missionary reformation：
THE DAISY IN INDIA
〃A friend of mine； a scientific botanist； residing near Sheffield； had sent a package of sundry kinds of British seeds to the learned and venerable Doctor WILLIAM CAREY。 Some of the seeds had been enclosed in a bag； containing a portion of their native earth。 In March 1821 a letter of acknowledgment was received by his correspondent from the Doctor； who was himself well skilled in botany； and had a garden rich in plants； both tropical and European。 In this enclosure he was wont to spend an hour every morning； before he entered upon those labours and studies which have rendered his name illustrious both at home and abroad； as one of the most accomplished of Oriental scholars and a translator of the Holy Scriptures into many of the Hindoo languages。 In the letter aforementioned； which was shown to me； the good man says：'That I might be sure not to lose any part of your valuable present； I shook the bag over a patch of earth in a shady place： on visiting which a few days afterwards I found springing up； to my inexpressible delight； a Bellis perennis of our English pastures。 I know not that I ever enjoyed； since leaving Europe； a simple pleasure so exquisite as the sight of this English Daisy afforded me； not having seen one for upwards of thirty years； and never expecting to see one again。'
〃On the perusal of this passage； the following stanzas seemed to spring up almost spontaneously in my mind； as the 'little English flower' in the good Doctor's gar
