Dr. Smitu’s Introductory Difcourfe. It 
lent figures which atone for the imperfections of his defcriptions. 
His amiable difpofition, fays Haller, procured him a great number of 
friends, whofe difcoveries enriched his own works. He always ac- 
knowledged their favours, and gave to every body their due praife. 
A number of the plants difcovered by Gefner were firft publifhed by 
Clufius. This illuftrious botanift died in 1609, at the great age of 
84. He was profeffor of botany at Leyden, where a palm tree (a 
caulefcent variety of Chamzrops humilis) poe by him, ftill ex- 
ifts in great perfection. 
I am now to fpeak of Cafalpinus ; but if I fhould enter into a 
full difcuffion of his character and merits, it would lead me a great 
dealtoo far. His ardent attachment to Ariflotle led him into the 
depths of metaphyfics, and into many errors relating to the nature 
of man, and the firft caufe of all things, which the dogmas of the 
court of Rome where he lived were not likely to correct, in a phi- 
lofophical mind like his. He has left evident proofs of his knowing 
the circulation of the blood at leaft through the lungs, and the fer- 
vices he has rendered to botany entitle him to be ranked among 
its moft able promoters. I need not enter into the particulars of - 
his method, which is chiefly founded on the fruit. He has made 
fome miftakes, which Haller has taken care to point out; but it 
muft not be forgotten that Czefalpinus has thrown more light on 
the ftructure and affinities of vegetables than any one before his 
time, and has diftinétly mentioned the fexes of plants. He died 
in 1603. 
While thefe great men were flourifhing on the continent, botany 
began to be attended to in our own country. Turner publifhed his 
Herbal in 1551; foon after Lyte gave a tranflation of Dodonzus; 
and in 1597 was printed the firft edition of Gerard's Herbal. lt is 
fufficient that I mention the names of thefe authors. Lobel, who 
began to publifh in London in 1570, and who is the author of many 
C2 good 
