PREFACE 
Tt is in emulation of such continental efforts that the present Work has been prepared, with the 
keable evidence what differences really exist among the Ferns whic 
wild in Great Britain and Ireland. ‘These beautiful plants h 
i able to establish upon solid 
tion, and are nov so universally cultivated, that it has become most. 6 
to expect from m 
riptions or imperfect engravings. It is true that Nature-Printing has its defects as well as it 
lvantages: it can only represent what lies upon the surface, and not the whole even of that, But, on 
the other hand, its accuracy is perfect as far as it goes ; and in the case of British Ferns it goes far 
nt tho forms of sori, these, orindusia, we must never 
enough for all practical purpose 
Iit fails to repr 
a Fern is Adiantum 
ге subjects of inquiry in the cab ye knows at a glance th 
D 
et The practi 
illus Veneris not by looking to the underside of its leaves, and ascertaining the form of its indusium 
or annulus, and the place occupied by the sori, but by its general manner of growth, the ramification of 
N 
its stipes, and the form of its leaflets all which Nature-Printing does sl 
ш cannot be applied, are sufficiently pointed 
ut by description al 
the present Work at least, are in no need of delineation. It is not, indeed, too much to say that i 
many other plants besides Ferns 
ble ac 
ndition of the larger on 
dispensed with if it were p ires, or to describe by words, tho real 
mpafed with the result of Nature-Printing, 
forms and o i But, when e 
botanical drawings are often little more than indifferent diagrams, It is related of the late John Gough 
of Kendal, that, having become totally blind from small-pox when two years old, he so cultivated his 
her se recognise by touch, smell, or taste, almost every plant within twenty miles of his 
nativo pla ieved that good Naturo-Printing will convey to the eye the same class of positiv 
impressions as those which were conveyed to the mind of Gough by other orga 
ho present Work is supplied by Mr. Thomas Moore, whose little Handbook of British 
Ferns is generally admitted to bo our best book on the subject. To a perfect nequaintance with this 
a, Mr. M 
part of our native F ore has shown that he adds correct views of nomenclature, and kn 
of judgment which have induced inexperience 
upon which the modern genera of Ferns hi 4. It may be, however, conceded 
re been pr 
importance with the form, or ab т presence of an indusium, or the di 
lers of Pt 
any such characters to the distinction of 
ction in which it separates 
which the foun 
But in the application о mera, somethi 
than а mere perception of facts ; it is no less necessary that the Botanist should possess a power ог 
combining and generalising, as well as of observing, and that ho should consult his judgment as we 
his eyesight, When this is ne tho value of characters is misunderstood, every sj 
enus, and natural history is resolved into its elem 
isolated unconnected facts t 
ilfal combinations, and what should be the perfection of arrangement be farrago of desultory 
pinions, It is believed that the present Work will be free from faults of this К 
and that the Author 
while he avails him 
Jf of all circumstances which can assist in the distinction of what requires to be 
"The duty of the waiter of these remarks extends litle boyond a general supervision of the Work 
it passes thro 
Nature-Prin 
ме prepar 
The labour and honour of this the first English attempt at applying 
anical Science rest with Mr. Henry Bradbury, under wh 
Thomas Mo 
е, who selects the specimens to bo figured, and is responsible for the 
Aeron Оман, March 2, JOHN LINDLEY 
