Welsh Journals

REV. LITTLETON BROWN, VICAR OF KERRY. By J. B. WILLANS. ONE day, when I was seeking some information in the British Museum, I came upon the name of the above Vicar of Kerry in an article on Botany in the first volume of the Victoria IIistory oj Shropshire. Mr. Brown was a native of the town of Bishop's Castle, where his name appears in the registers, 1698. Littletonus hlius Jeremiah & Maria Brown Attornat. Dec. 10. is the date of his baptism. The father was presumably a lawyer, and in another place called "gent.H A reference is made to his mother, on the list of charities and bequests to the church, on the west wall of the Parish Church- Mrs. Mary Brown wife of Mr. Jer: Brown gave a silver cup or chalice for ye Service of ye Communion." Littleton Brown matriculated at Balliol College, Oxford, aged 16, B.A. 1719, and M.A. in 1722. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society. In a volume of extracts from the correspondence of Dr. Richardson of Bierley, near Bradford, in York- shire, 1835, there is the following reference (p. 231, Letter xciv.) Dr. Sherard to Dr. Richardson, London, Feb. 12, 1725-6. (p. 232). Here is in town a gentleman, bred at Baliol College, Mr. Brown of Shropshire, just by (p. 233) Wales: he is the keenest botanist I have met with, and knows most of the plants in the Synopsis. Dr. Dillenius has been a moss- cropping with him he has an excellent eye. He brought up with him some plants never found before in England, as the Virga Aurea,1 Matth; the leaves not at all serrated Penta- 1 A variety of Solidago (Virga-aurea, L ).