the life of william carey-第63节
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〃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 garden； whom I imagined to be thus addressing it on its sudden appearance：
〃Thrice welcome； little English flower！ My mother…country's white and red； In rose or lily； till this hour； Never to me such beauty spread： Transplanted from thine island…bed； A treasure in a grain of earth； Strange as a spirit from the dead； Thine embryo sprang to birth。
〃Thrice welcome； little English flower！ Whose tribes； beneath our natal skies； Shut close their leaves while vapours lower； But； when the sun's gay beams arise； With unabashed but modest eyes； Follow his motion to the west； Nor cease to gaze till daylight dies； Then fold themselves to rest。
〃Thrice welcome； little English flower！ To this resplendent hemisphere； Where Flora's giant offspring tower In gorgeous liveries all the year： Thou； only thou； art little here； Like worth unfriended and unknown； Yet to my British heart more dear Than all the torrid zone。
〃Thrice welcome； little English flower！ Of early scenes beloved by me； While happy in my father's bower； Thou shalt the blythe memorial be； The fairy sports of infancy； Youth's golden age； and manhood's prime。 Home； country； kindred； friends；with thee； I find in this far clime。
〃Thrice welcome； little English flower！ I'll rear thee with a trembling hand： Oh； for the April sun and shower； The sweet May dews of that fair land。 Where Daisies； thick as starlight； stand In every walk！that here may shoot Thy scions； and thy buds expand A hundred from one root。
〃Thrice welcome； little English flower！ To me the pledge of hope unseen： When sorrow would my soul o'erpower； For joys that were； or might have been； I'll call to mind； how； fresh and green； I saw thee waking from the dust； Then turn to heaven with brow serene； And place in GOD my trust。〃
》From every distant station； from Amboyna to Delhi； he received seeds and animals and specimens of natural history。 The very schoolboys when they went out into the world； and the young civilians of Fort William College； enriched his collections。 To Jabez； his son in Amboyna； we find him thus writing：〃I have already informed you of the luckless fate of all the animals you have sent。 I know of no remedy for the living animals dying； but by a little attention to packing them you may send skins of birds and animals of every kind； and also seeds and roots。 I lately received a parcel of seeds from Moore （a large boy who； you may remember； was at school when the printing…office was burnt）； every one of which bids fair to grow。 He is in some of the Malay islands。 After all you have greatly contributed to the enlargement of my collection。〃
〃17th September 1816。I approve much of Bencoolen as a place for your future labours； unless you should rather choose the island of Borneo。。。The English may send a Resident thither after a time。 I mention this from a conversation I had some months ago on the subject with Lord Moira； who told me that there is a large body of Chinese on that island。〃 They 〃applied to the late Lieut。…Governor of Java； requesting that an English Resident may be sent to govern them； and offering to be at the whole expense of his salary and government。 The Borneo business may come to nothing； but if it should succeed it would be a glorious opening for the Gospel in that large island。 Sumatra； however； is larger than any one man could occupy。〃 As we read this we see the Serampore apostle's hope fulfilled after a different fashion； in Rajah Brooke's settlement at Sarawak； in the charter of the North Borneo Company； in the opening up of New Guinea and in the civilisation of the Philippines by the United States of America。
To Roxburgh and his Danish successor Wallich； to Voigt who succeeded Wallich in Serampore； and hundreds of correspondents in India and Germany； Great Britain and America； Carey did many a service in sending plants andwhat was a greater sacrifice for so busy a manwriting letters。 What he did for the Hortus Bengalensis may stand for all。
When； in 1814； Dr。 Roxburgh was sent to sea almost dying； Dr。 Carey edited and printed at his own press that now very rare volume； the Hortus Bengalensis； or a Catalogue of the Plants of the Honourable East India Company's Botanic Garden in Calcutta。 Carey's introduction of twelve large pages is perhaps his most characteristic writing on a scientific subject。 His genuine friendliness and humility shine forth in the testimony he bears to the abilities； zeal； and success of the great botanist who； in twenty years； had created a collection of 3200 species。 Of these 3000 at least had been given by the European residents in India； himself most largely of all。 Having shown in detail the utility of botanical gardens； especially in all the foreign settlements of Great Britain； he declared that only a beginning had been made in observing and cataloguing the stock of Asiatic productions。 He urged English residents all over India to set apart a small plot for the reception of the plants of their neighbourhood； and when riding about the country to mark plants； which their servants could bring on to the nursery； getting them to write the native name of each。 He desiderated gardens at Hurdwar； Delhi； Dacca； and Sylhet； where plants that will not live at Calcutta might prosper； a suggestion which was afterwards carried out by the Government in establishing a garden at Saharanpoor； in a Sub…Himalayan region； which has been successfully directed by Royle； Falconer； and Jameson。
On Dr。 Roxburgh's death in 1815 Dr。 Carey waited to see whether an English botanist would publish the fruit of thirty years' labour of his friend in the description of more than 2000 plants； natives of Eastern Asia。 At his own risk he then； in 1820； undertook this publication； or the Flora Indica； placing on the title…page； 〃All Thy works praise Thee； O LordDavid。〃 When the Roxburgh MSS。 were made over to the library of the Botanic Garden at Calcutta； the fourth and final volume appeared with this note regarding the new edition：〃The work was printed from MSS。 in the possession of Dr。 Carey； and it was carried through the press when he was labouring under the debility of great age。。。The advanced age of Dr。 Carey did not admit of any longer delay。〃
His first public attempt at agricultural reform was made in the paper which he contributed to the Transactions of the Bengal Asiatic Society； and which appeared in 1811 in the tenth volume of the Asiatic Researches。 In the space of an ordinary Quarterly Review article he describes the 〃State of Agriculture in the District of Dinapoor；〃 and urges improvements such as only the officials； settlers； and Government could begin。 The soils； the 〃extremely poor〃 people； their 〃proportionally simple and wretched farming utensils；〃 the cattle； the primitive irrigation alluded to in Deuteronomy as 〃watering with the foot；〃 and the modes of ploughing and reaping； are rapidly sketched and illustrated by lithographed figures drawn to scale。 In greater detail the principal crops are treated。 The staple crop of rice in its many varieties and harvests at different seasons is lucidly brought before the Government； in language which it would have been well to remember or reproduce in the subsequent avoidable famines of Orissa and North Bihar。 Indigo is set before us with the skill of one who had grown and manufactured it for years。 The hemp and jute plants are enlarged on in language which unconsciously anticipates the vast and enriching development given to the latter as an export and a local manufacture since the Crimean War。 An account of the oil…seeds and the faulty mode of expressing the oil； which made Indian linseed oil unfit for painting； is followed by remarks on the cultivation of wheat； to which subsequent events have given great importance。 Though many parts； even of Dinapoor； were fit for the growth of wheat and barley； the natives produced only a dark variety from bad seed。 〃For the purpose of making a trial I sowed Patna wheat on a large quantity of land in the year 1798； the flour produced from which was of a very good quality。〃 The pulses； tobacco； the egg…plant； the capsicums； the cucumbers； the arum roots； turmeric； ginger； and sugar…cane； all pass in review in a style which the non…scientific reader may enjoy and the expert must appreciate。 Improvements in method and the introduction of the best kinds of plants and vegetables are suggested； notwithstanding 〃the poverty； prejudices； and indolence of the natives。〃
This paper is most remarkable； however； for the true note which its writer was the first to strike on the subject of forestry。 If we reflect that it was not till 1846 that the Government made the first attempt at forest conservancy； in order to preserve the timber of Malabar for the Bombay dockyard； and not till the conquest of Pegu； in 1855； that the Marquis of Dalhousie was led by the Friend of India to appoint Dietrich Brandis of Bonn to care for the forests of Burma； and Dr。 Cleghorn for those of South India； we shall appreciate the wise foresight of the missionary…scholar； who； havin
