the Brit Species of Mentha. es 175 
&hofe of Sports in his edition of the Synopfit, but by no means adopt- 
-ed or underftood them all. - What he has there inferted, from thefe 
authorities or his own obfervation, is either marked with an afterifk 
or enclofed in crotchets. He has added two very bad figures, which 
have contributed to obfcure the fabje&t. Sherard, to whom fpeci- 
mens of all thefe plants were communicated, followed his favourite 
propenfity in accumulating fynonyms foreach, but not with accu- 
rate difcrimination. Whether fuch an undertaking may be too 
vaft and difficult for any mind, or whether Sherard and Dillenius 
worked with too; little caution, I know not; but, without detracting 
from their eminent knowledge and acutenefs in other refpeéts, I can- 
not but think it fortunate that the celebrated Pinax never appeared, 
Botany would then have. been purfued by the indolent attention to 
fynonyms inftead « of definitic ions, and would Ai have be beei de feful 
as an exercife for thei mind, nor hav e led to the actual knowledge 
Nature. As Buddle and Samuel Dale ftudied plants with a view to 
— their medical qualities, itis not wonderful that they fhould have 
paid great. attention. to the. various odours of Mints; ; upon which, ~ 
added. to he fh ape ofthe] leaves and the. different de degrees of hairinefs, 
: their r ideas of! fpecies were founded. All thefe however are variable. 
circumftances, efpecially the fmell. When Linnzus took up the 
. fubje& he likewife depended on the form of the leaves, taking a 
farther character from the ftamina being longer or fhorter than the 
corolla, and in this Mr. Hudfon and Mr. Sole have followed him. 
bet us inveftigate | thefe methods of difcrimination. A 
oft every fpecies c of Mint indeed has in its original wild. nl 
a peculiar | mell of its own, by which alone the Mentha rotund; difolia, 
for inftance, is at once known from every variety of. the /ylvefiris; 
- and the M. arvenfis, by its fmelling like blue mouldy chee! 
tinguifhed from other whorled mints, But many mints av capable 
2 : | of 
oe. "d eee 
STET 
