HUDSON, William, a celebrated English botanist, was born at Westmoreland about 1730. He was bound apprentice to an apothecary in London, whose business he took, and proved a friend to the widow and daughters. It appears from the testimony of Dr Pultney, that he had a residence in the British museum, but we are not informed in what capacity. He was also F.R.S. and died of a paralytic distemper in May 1793. He possessed a comprehensive knowledge of English plants, which induced him to undertake an arrangement of English botany according to the Linnean classification, a task which had been previously attempted by Dr Hill, but the execution was very imperfect. Hudson's Flora Anglica appeared in 1762, in one volume 8vo, the Latin preface to which was written by the ingenious Mr Stillingfleet, and received with great applause, and contributed greatly to the adoption in England of the sexual system.
The merits of Mr Hudson are thus described by Dr J. E. Smith. "His memory requires no studied eulogium here, as every page of the present work is an index to his labours. May the writer of this leave no more errors behind him as an author, or as a man." Mr Hudson well understood the insects and shells of Great Britain, and always meditated a Fauna Britannica. His temper is said to have been gentle, rather close, but kind to those who gained his esteem.