JOHN GIBBS : AN ESSEX BOTANIST.
91
Institute, in the New London Road. He was accustomed also
(at a later date, at any rate) to give lessons in botany to the
younger members of any well-to-do families, living in the
vicinity, who would employ him for that purpose. At times,
too, he imparted such instruction gratis to school-children
belonging to poorer families, taking parties of such for country
rambles in search of plants. On these outings, he was (I am
told) extremely popular with the children. Occasionally, also,
he contributed articles to newspapers and periodicals.
On the 26th November 1860, he delivered, in the Hall of the
Literary and Mechanics' Institute, a lecture on the Variations
of Plants. It was published soon after, in pamphlet form,
with a preliminary note by Edwin Adams, cf the Chelmsford
Grammar School, and a preface dated 15th January 1861.
Its title was A Lecture on the Variations of Plants, as affecting
the Characters and Classification of Species (Chelmsford: J.
Fry, 24 pp., dy. 8vo), and Gibbs describes himself on the title-
page as a "Teacher of Botany." There is a copy in the Library
of the British Museum. The matter in the booklet was Gibbs'
modest contribution to the controversy on the Theory of Natural
Selection, which was then raging violently, as a result of the
publication of Darwin's Origin of Species (1859). Like most
naturalists who were grown up when this truly epoch-making
book was published, Gibbs ranged himself among the opponents
of the new doctrine. His arguments, though not ill-expressed,
are. therefore, not of much value now.
In 1863, Gibbs sent various communications on points of
botanical interest to Edward Newman, the editor and pro-
prietor of the Phytologist, and these were, no doubt, all pub-
lished therein ; but one. only appeared signed. This was a note
(vol. vi., p. 479) on the inflorescence of Vinca minor, the substance
of which Gibbs had communicated, he says, to the Cambridge
meeting of the British Association in the previous October. I
have information, however, that other notes (pp. 476-477) on
the publication of Gibson's Flora of Essex (1862) and on some
rare plants growing in the neighbourhood of Chelmsford were
also written by him. Apparently Gibbs did not supply Gibson
with any information when the latter was preparing his Flora ;
for none is acknowledged therein.
Some years after this (in 1868, I believe), Gibbs was appointed