(John Peter), known to the world as one of the scientific travellers employed by the late Empress of Russia to explore her vast dominions, was born in Westrogothia, a province in Sweden, about the year 1727. He studied medicine in the university of Upsal, and went through a course of botany under the celebrated Linnæus, to whose son he was tutor. He publicly defended the dissertation (a) which that famous botanist had composed on a new species of plants, which he called *affremeria*.

In the year 1760, he was so deeply affected with depression of spirits, that M. de Linnæus, in the view of obliging him to take exercise and dissipation, sent him to travel over the island of Gothland, to make a collection of the plants it produces, and the various kinds of corals and corallines which the sea leaves on its shores. This voyage was attended with no diminution of his distemper, which found a continual supply of aliment in a languid melancholy temperament, in a too sedentary way of life, and in the bad state of his finances.

Professor Forskæl having left Upsal for Copenhagen in 1769, Falk followed him thither, in the design of applying, by the advice of M. de Linnæus, to be appointed assistant in M. Forskæl's famous journey thro' Arabia; but, notwithstanding all the pains that M. Oeler, and several other men of literary reputation at Copenhagen, took in his behalf, his application failed, as the society that were to go on that important expedition was already formed. Obliged, with much discontent, to return, he horrified as he travelled, and enriched the Flora Suecica with several new discoveries.

A man in office at St Petersburgh having written to M. Linnæus to send him a director for his cabinet of natural history, M. Falk accepted the post, which led him to the chair of professor of botany at the apothecaries garden at St Petersburgh, a place that had been long vacant. His hypochondriac complaint still continued to torment him. When the Imperial academy of sciences was preparing in 1768 the plan of its learned expeditions, it took M. Falk into its service; though his health was uncertain. He was recalled in 1771; but having got only to Kafan in 1773, he there obtained permission to go and use the baths of Kiflar, from which he returned again to Kafan at the end of the year, with his health apparently better.

But his disease soon returned with redoubled violence. From the month of December 1773, he had never quitted his bed, nor taken any other nourishment than bread dried in the Swedish manner (knakbröd), of which he scarcely took once a day some mouthfuls dipped in tea. At first he received the visits of a few friends; but afterwards denied himself to them, and was reduced to the strictest solitude. When M. Georgi, member of the society of natural history at Berlin, who had been destined to assist and relieve the professor in the duties of his expedition, went to see him on this occasion, nothing seemed left of him but a skeleton of a wild and terrifying aspect. The few words he drew from him consisted in complaints, occasioned by a host of diseases which kept his body in torture, and threw him into the most cruel sleeplessness. The last evening M. Georgi kept him company till midnight. He spoke little, and said nothing that could give reason to suspect the design he was meditating. His hunter, and at the same time his trusty servant, offered to fit up with him the night; but he could not be persuaded to consent.

M. Georgi being requested the next day, March 31, to come to the lodging of the unfortunate gentleman, he found him lying before his bed, covered with blood; beside him lay a razor, with which he had given him self

(a) In the collection known under the title of Linnæi Amoenitates Academica. self a slight wound in the throat, the fatal pistol, and a powder-horn; all together presenting a tremendous spectacle. He had put the muzzle of the pistol against his throat, and resting the pommel upon his bed, he discharged the contents in such a manner, that the ball, having gone through his head, had stuck in the ceiling. His fellow had seen him still fitting up in his bed at four o'clock, at which time he usually fell into a short slumber. In his chamber was found a note written the evening before, betraying throughout the distracted state of his mind, but nothing declaratory of his design, or that was of any importance.

M. Falk, like all hypochondriac persons, was not very communicative, and on certain occasions was distrustful. But, at the same time, he was of a sedate temper, complacent, and upright, which made it a very easy matter to bear with him, and secure to him the indulgence of all his acquaintance. His extreme sobriety had enabled him to make some savings from his pay, though he was very benevolent; it was not, therefore, indigence that drove him to this act of violence. He was of a cold constitution, preferring solitude and quiet to society, to the company of his friends, and to ordinary amusements, which yet he did not shun, except in the latter period of his life. As to religion, he showed on all occasions more respect for it than any strong effusions of zeal. It was solely to be ascribed to the violence of his temper, and the weakness of mind which it brought on, that led him to put a period to his days. The fate of this unfortunate scholar was generally and justly lamented.

His papers were found in the greatest disorder. They contain, however, very useful and important relations. He particularly made it his business to inquire about the Kirguises, and other Tartarian nations; and as he frequently remained for the space of nine months together in the same place, he was enabled to procure satisfactory notions concerning the objects of his investigations. The Imperial academy, in 1774, appointed Professor Laxmann to arrange his manuscripts in order for publication; which was done accordingly.