Arrangements of Plants. o "m 
cannot at the instant be demonstrated, but must for the present 
be admitted on the credit of the founder. _ Even to determine 
the primary distinctions on which such a system should rest, is a 
matter of no small difficulty : and notwithstanding the concur- 
rent authority of both Linnzus and Jussieu, it is by no means 
certain that the number of cotyledons with which a plant germi- 
nates is the most secure foundation ; or whether, for instance, the 
classification by Gartner from the seeds themselves is not to be 
preferred. Hence there arises between the two modes of arrange- - 
ment this important distinction, that an artificial method, devised 
and completed by one person, may readily be communicated to 
another, and is as intelligible to the student as to the preceptor; 
whilst, on the contrary, the knowledge of a natural system is 
chiefly confined to the author, and cannot be fully attained by 
any other person without entering into the same investigations, 
and ascertaining the same facts ; many of which might perhaps 
afford different results, or lead to different conclusions. When- 
ever a pretended natural system relinquishes these primary di- 
stinctions, and attempts to arrange the genera and species of 
plants by their exterior phenomena, it is no longer natural but 
artificial ; and the superstructure being wholly different from the 
basis, it becomes incongruous and absurd ; neither furnishing the 
recondite information which is obtained from the study of the 
natural relations of plants, nor affording us those advantages of 
a ready discrimination which we derive from an artificial ar- 
rangement. As long as these truths are acknowledged and acted 
upon, a real progress will be made in the science ; and to. no 
country has the world been of late more indebted than to France, 
for that knowledge and information which a deep inquiry into 
the recesses of the vegetable kingdom can alone supply ; al- 
though this country may also boast of many distinguished fol- 
lowers. 
