HIS VEGETABLE SYSTEM 103 



Naturally the plates in the Vegetable System are of uneven 

 quality, some are very good and not only are pleasing from the 

 artistic point of view, but also give a concrete idea of the plants 

 represented. It is impossible here to criticize this work in 

 detail ; but some idea of its scope may be given. The first 

 volume and part of the second is concerned with the history 

 of Botany ; the origin of Systematic Botany ; the Systems of 

 Caesalpinus, Morison, Ray, Tournefort, Boerhaave, Linnaeus, 

 and others; morphology, anatomy, physiology; and the effect 

 of heat, light, air, soil and water on vegetation. The rest of the 

 work is occupied by descriptions of plants, both British and 

 foreign, when the latter, the native country is mentioned ; in all 

 cases the medicinal properties are given. 



It is hardly necessary to remark that notwithstanding the 

 price of the work, 38 guineas plain and 160 guineas coloured, 

 Hill lost considerably over its publication. From Mrs Hill's 

 account 1 , it appears that Bute undertook that Hill's circum- 

 stances should not be injured by the venture, an undertaking 

 which was not kept ; and further, after the death of Hill, Bute 

 refused to compensate Mrs Hill for the unfinished last volume 

 or to take the materials which had accumulated for it out of 

 her hands. Allowing some discount for the natural exaggera- 

 tion of a bereaved lady suffering from a grievance, there appears 

 but little doubt that the Earl of Bute proved lacking in good 

 faith. 



Considered as a systematist there can be no doubt that 

 Hill knew his plants ; and although the systematists of the 

 period were overshadowed by Linnaeus, Hill preserved his 

 independence of thought, and did not hesitate to express his 

 opinions when they differed from those of his great contemporary. 

 Although he highly appreciated the work of Linnaeus he dis- 

 liked his system of classification on account of its artificiality, 

 and he intended to bring forward a natural system of his own. 

 It is not, I think, too much to say that time has justified his 

 criticism ; and many of his minor differences have been 



1 An Address to the Public... loc. cit. 



