the life of william carey-第69章
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plant fruit； yet we have no hardships in these respects。 Rice is the staple article of food。。。
〃My love to the students。 God raise them up for great blessings。 Great things are certainly at hand。〃
But he was also an erudite botanist。 Had he arrived in Calcutta a few days earlier than he did； he would have been appointed to the place for which sheer poverty led him to apply； in the Company's Botanical Garden； established on the right bank of the Hoogli a few miles below Calcutta； by Colonel Alexander Kyd； for the collection of indigenous and acclimatisation of foreign plants。 There he at once made the acquaintance； and till 1815 retained the loving friendship； of its superintendent； Dr。 Roxburgh； the leader of a series of eminent men； Buchanan and Wallich； Griffith； Falconer； T。 Thomson； and Thomas Anderson； the last two cut off in the ripe promise of their manhood。 One of Carey's first requests was for seeds and instruments； not merely from scientific reasons； but that he might carry out his early plan of working with his hands as a farmer while he evangelised the people。 On 5th August 1794 he wrote to the Society：〃I wish you also to send me a few instruments of husbandry； viz。； scythes； sickles； plough…wheels； and such things； and a yearly assortment of all garden and flowering seeds； and seeds of fruit trees； that you can possibly procure； and let them be packed in papers； or bottles well stopped； which is the best method。 All these things； at whatever price you can procure them； and the seeds of all sorts of field and forest trees； etc。； I will regularly remit you the money for every year； and I hope that I may depend upon the exertions of my numerous friends to procure them。 Apply to London seedsmen and others； as it will be a lasting advantage to this country； and I shall have it in my power to do this for what I now call my own country。 Only take care that they are new and dry。〃 Again he addressed Fuller on 22nd June 1797：
〃MY VERY DEAR BROTHERI have yours of August 9； 16； which informs me that the seeds； etc。； were shipped。 I have received those seeds and other articles in tolerable preservation； and shall find them a very useful article。 An acquaintance which I have formed with Dr。 Roxburgh； Superintendent of the Company's Botanic Garden； and whose wife is daughter of a missionary on the coast； may be of future use to the mission； and make that investment of vegetables more valuable。〃
Thus towards the close of his six years' sacrifice for the people of Dinapoor does he estimate himself and his scientific pursuits in the light of the great conflict to which the Captain of Salvation had called him。 He is opening his heart to Fuller again； most trusted of all：
〃MUDNABATI； 17th July 1799。Respecting myself I have nothing interesting to say； and if I had； it appears foreign to the design of a mission for the missionaries to be always speaking of their own experiences。 I keep several journals； it is true； relating to things private and public； respecting the mission； articles of curiosity and science； but they are sometimes continued and sometimes discontinued： besides； most things contained in them are of too general or trivial a nature to send to England； and I imagine could have no effect； except to mock the expectations of our numerous friends； who are waiting to hear of the conversion of the heathen and overthrow of Satan's kingdom。
〃I therefore only observe； respecting myself； that I have much proof of the vileness of my heart； much more than I thought of till lately： and； indeed； I often fear that instead of being instrumental in the conversion of the heathen； I may some time dishonour the cause in which I am engaged。 I have hitherto had much experience of the daily supports of a gracious God； but I am conscious that if those supports were intermitted but for a little time； my sinful dispositions would infallibly predominate。 At present I am kept； but am not one of those who are strong and do exploits。
〃I have often thought that a spirit of observation is necessary in order to our doing or communicating much good； and were it not for a very phlegmatic habit； I think my soul would be richer。 I； however； appear to myself to have lost much of my capacity for making observations； improvements； etc。； or of retaining what I attend to closely。 For instance； I have been near three years learning the Sanskrit language； yet know very little of it。 This is only a specimen of what I feel myself to be in every respect。 I try to observe； to imprint what I see and hear on my memory； and to feel my heart properly affected with the circumstances； yet my soul is impoverished； and I have something of a lethargic disease cleaving to my body。。。
〃I would communicate something on the natural history of the country in addition to what I have before written； but no part of that pleasing study is so familiar to me as the vegetable world。〃
His letters of this period to Fuller on the fruits of India； and to Morris on the husbandry of the natives； might be quoted still as accurate and yet popular descriptions 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 pla
