PENNANT, THOMAS, distinguished as a tourist, and for his acquaintance with natural history and antiquities, was born at Downing, in Flintshire, in the year 1726. His school education commenced at Wrexham, and was com pleted at Fulham, from whence he removed to Oxford, for the purpose of studying jurisprudence, though it does not appear that he intended to pursue law as a profession. A present of Mr. Willoughby's Ornithology, when he was about the age of twelve, by John Salisbury, Esq. of Flint, the father of Mrs. Piozzi, inspired him with a taste for the study of natural history. His fondness for mineralogy commenced in the year 1746-7, in consequence of a tour through Cornwall, when he became acquainted with Dr. Borlase of Ludgvan, who communicated to him with great kindness all the stores of his own extensive knowledge in this branch of natural history. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in the year 1754, when he visited the greatest part of Ireland; but the conviviality of that hospitable people prevented him from producing a journal fit to be offered to the public.
His first efforts as an author were some remarks on earthquakes, particularly one at Downing, in the year 1750, inserted in the Philosophical Transactions. In 1756, he wrote a paper on several eoralloid bodies, collect ed in Coalbrook Dale, Shropshire. In 1755, he com menced a literary correspondence with Linnaeus, giving an account of a recent Concha anomia adhering to a sea plant of the Norwegian seas, sent him by Bishop Pontoppidan. In the year 1757 he was made a member of the Royal Society of Upsal, at the recommendation of Linnaeus himself.
Mr. Pennant married about this period, and passed some years in domestic retirement with a most amiable wife, his pecuniary circumstances being very limited. In 1761 he commenced his British Zoology, and dedicated its profits to the benefit of the Welsh School, Gray's Inn Lane, London. The estate of Downing, with a rich mine of lead ore, came into his possession in 1763. His domestic en joyments were interrupted soon after by the death of his wife; and in 1765 he visited France, Switzerland, Holland, part of Germany, and formed a friendship with Buffon, Haller, the Gesners, and Gronovius. His Synopsis of Quadrupeds, a work of great value, and which was printed in 1771, was first planned at the Hague, in consequence of his interview with Professor Pallas, whose high adrnira _ 71 I Lion of Mr. Ray induced him to advise our author to un
dertake a history of quadrupeds on Ray's system im proved. In 1767, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and republished next year his British Zoology, in two vols. 8vo. to which he added a third, including fishes and reptiles, in 1769.
His first acquaintance with Sir Joseph Banks com menced in 1766. He visited him at Ravesby Abbey, in Lincolnshire, and 'Mr. Pennant received from him many favours, and was honoured with frequent communications. Our author saw Sir Joseph on his arrival, in 1771, from his voyage with Captain Cook ; and the same year had au interview with Mr. Faulkner, who had spent 38 years in Patagonia. The degree of LL. D. was also conferred on him this year by the University of Oxford. About this time he published the first volume of his tour to Scotland, which was completed, together with his voyage to the Hebrides, in 1772. During this last tour he was present ed with the freedom of the city of Edinburgh, and had great honours shown him in many of the provincial towns. A second volume of his Journey to Scotland, and his Voyage to the Hebrides, was published in 1774, which was followed by his third and last volume in 1775. A fifth edition of his Tours in Scotland was published with ad ditions in 1790. Scotland, when he favoured the world with his tour, was very little known to our southern neigh bours; since many of the preceding accounts of this part of the island were written either without candour or under the influence of strong prejudices. The great object of our tourist, on the other hand, was to conciliate the affec tions of the two nations, and to point out those improve ments, either in the fisheries or internal commerce of Scot land, which might contribute to its benefit. Mr. Pennant has the honour, therefore, of setting an example of a faith ful, accurate, and patient research into the antiquities, beauties, and resources of this part of the island, which has been so successfully followed up by Sir John Sinclair, Dr. Anderson, Sir Walter Scott, and others, who have thus immortalized themselves by perpetuating the glory of their native land.