Dr. Smiru’s Introductory Difcourfe. 43 
to the Eaft Indies, and defcribed his whole voyage. in letters to 
Linnæus, enriched with many obfervations relating to natural hif- 
ftory, all which were publifhed with Ofbeck’s voyage, and tranf- 
lated into Englifh by Dr. Forfter. 
I am led to confider fome of the moft illuftrious naturalifts of 
the prefent age, whofe works and whofe difcoveries have been long 
fo generally known as almoft to preclude the neceflity of mentioning 
them, were it not neceífary to the uniformity of my plan. Of 
thefe Profeffor Jacquin claims the firft place. He was firft known 
by his Hiftoria Plantarum Americanarum, publifhed in 1763, in 
folio, with many figures, and which contains defcriptions of a vaft 
number of plants of South America, fcarcely ever feen by any body 
elfe. . This book has lately been republifhed, without any material 
addition, except that the plates are coloured; for its illuftrious 
author has of late y years applied himfelf to the i improvement of 
botanical ichnography in the moft eminent manner. Who has 
not feen and admired his Hortus Vindobonenfis and Flora 
Auftriaca? And we have now no longer to regret the want of 
differentia fpecifica in the works of Jacquin; for, with a degree of can- 
dor which does him the higheft honour, he has deigned to liften to 
the remonftrance of the younger Linnæus on this. fubje&, and has 
given the effential characters of all the plants figured in his Icones 
Plantarum rariorum. _ 
Another celebrated work is Brown’s Hiftory of Jamaica, publifhed 
in 1756, and now very rare, as the copies remaining at the book- 
feller's, after the firft fale of the book, were burnt. Its elegant 
plates were drawn by Ehret, the beft botanical draftfman of his 
time. The herbarium of Dr. Browne, who is fill living in 
Ireland, was bought by Dr. Solander many years ago, and fent to 
Linnæus: the fpecimens are not fplendid, but important for the 
determination of many obfcure plants. : 
s d Two 
