Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 34 (1896).djvu/527

 IN MEMORY OF HENRY TRIMEN. 491 what is done in the National Herbarium. Dr. Trimen, as a loyal servant of the Trustees, systematically recorded the progress of the collections, and the importance of the records thus published is shown by the fact that in such works as De Candolle's La Phyto- graphie this Journal is frequently cited as the source whence information regarding the Museum collections has been derived. Besides the work of editing, Dr. Trimen enriched the Journal with numerous communications dealing with British plants from various aspects, bibliographical and other matters, descriptions of new genera and species, reviews of books, and the like. His work throughout is characterized by extreme care. He did much to elucidate the British species of such critical genera as Polygonum and Rumex, and in the latter genus he commemorated his friend Mr. Warren by naming in his honour a form subsequently identi- fied with B. Knajii.'^' He also contributed to the Linnean Society's Journal and to other periodicals; fifty papers stand under his name in the Royal Society's Catalogue of Scientific Papers. In 1872-3 Trimen took a leading part in the promotion of certain reforms in the Linnean Society, of which body he had become a Fellow in 1866. The bringing about of these was attended by a period of excitement rare in the annals of a learned body. Some account of what took place may be found in the Journal for these years ; and the result was in every way beneficial, although in the course of the proceedings necessary to secure reform certain regrettable incidents occurred. Those who remember the formal meetings of pre -reformation days will agree that the contrast between then and now is nothing short of startling. It is to Trimen that we owe the small but important regulation by which the dates of publication of each part of the Journal are printed on the back of the title to each volume. In 1875 began the publication of what was in some respects Trimen's most noteworthy work — Medicinal Plants — which he under- took in collaboration with Prof. Bentley. This was not concluded until 1880, the last part having been published in February of that year, after Trimen had left England for Peradeniya. This important change in his career occurred in December, 1879, to the great regret of his colleagues in the Museum. This seems a fitting place in which to pay a tribute to those personal characteristics which made Trimen popular among a large circle of friends. Bright and cheerful in manner, with a sufficient sense of humour and a good acquaintance with general affairs and literature, he was an extremely pleasant companion ; while as a Museum official he was always courteous and helpful to enquirers, and both ready and willing to impart the knowledge he possessed. " His kind-hearted and cheerful nature," writes his brother, " with his unflagging zeal and activity in the pursuit of his favourite science, won him many faithful friends and associates — especially when he held the post of Lecturer on Botany at St. Mary's Hospital, and led his class in the field no less ably and enthusiastically than 2 K 2
 * See Journ Bot. 1896, 79.