HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



T 45 



A NEW DEPARTURE IN BOTANY.* 



ERHAPS it is im- 

 possible for Mr. 

 Ruskin to do any- 

 thing common- 

 place. In his 

 most whimsical 

 moods his mastery 

 over the form and 

 framework of lan- 

 guage is complete, 

 and he never 

 lapses into dulness 

 or mediocrity. 



Whatever sub- 

 ject he touches he 

 illuminates by the 

 beauty of his style, 

 and makes in- 

 teresting by his 

 wide grasp and 

 analytic power. 

 His love for the quiet processes of nature, and 

 his lifelong study of natural objects, fit him admir- 

 ably to expound the science of botany, and vivify 

 the old teachings from a new standpoint. His 

 own account of the origin and aim of " Proserpina" 

 is, "that it was undertaken to put, if it might be, 

 some elements of the science of botany into a form 

 more tenable by ordinary human and childish facul- 

 ties ; or — for I can scarcely say I have any tenure 

 of it myself— to make the paths of approach to 

 it more pleasant. In fact, I only know of it the 

 pleasant distant effects, which it bears to simple 

 eyes ; and some pretty mists and mysteries, which I 

 invite my young readers to pierce, as they may, for 

 themselves, my power of guiding them being only 

 for a little way." 



The first step Mr. Ruskin takes is to reform the 

 nomenclature at present in vogue, and his chief reason 

 for this is very characteristic, namely, that the current 

 names of many flowers are founded on unclean and 



* "Proserpina. Studies of Wayside Flowers, while the air 

 was yet pure among the Alps, and in the Scotland and England 

 which my father knew." By John Ruskin, LL.D., vol. i. — 

 George Allen, Sunnyside, Orpington, 1879. 



No. 187. 



debasing associations, of the Devil's own contriving, 

 and he assures his readers that he is always quite 

 serious when he speaks of the Devil. He gives a 

 very amusing account of the existing confusion of 

 names, and tells us, with a touch of comic serious- 

 ness, that the Hemdrocallis is now to be called Funkia, 

 in honour of Mr. Funk, a Prussian apothecary ! 



As might be expected, through the whole system of 

 plant names proposed by Mr. Ruskin, there runs a 

 distinct didactic no less than an aesthetic purpose. The 

 terminations of the Latin family names will be for 

 the most part of the masculine, feminine, and neuter 

 forms. " Those terminating in us will indicate real 

 masculine strength (Quercus, Laurus) or conditions 

 of dominant majesty (Cedrus), of stubbornness and 

 enduring force (Crataegus), or of peasant-like com- 

 monalty and hardship (Juncus), softened, as it may 

 sometimes happen, into gentleness and beneficence 

 (Thymus). The occasional forms in er and il will 

 have similar power (Acer, Basil). Names with the 

 feminine termination a, if they are real names of 

 girls, will always mean flowers that are perfectly 

 pretty and perfectly good (Lucia, Viola, Margarita, 

 Clarissa). Names terminating in a, which are not 

 also accepted names of girls, may sometimes be none 

 the less honourable (Primula, Campanula), but for 

 the most part will signify either plants that are only 

 good and worthy in a nursery sort of way (Salvia), 

 or that are good without being pretty (Lavandula), 

 or pretty without being good (Kalmia). But no 

 name terminating in a will be attached to a plant 

 that is neither good nor pretty. 



" The neuter names terminating in inn will always 

 indicate some power either of active or suggestive 

 evil (Conium, Solanum, Satyrium), or a relation 

 more or less definite to death ; but this relation to 

 death may sometimes be noble or pathetic — ' which 

 to-day is and to-morrow is cast into the oven' — 

 (Lilium). 



"Names terminating in /.rand e, if definite names 

 of women (Iris, Amaryllis, Alcestis, Daphne), will 

 always signify flowers of great beauty, and noble 

 historic association. If not definitely names of women 

 they will yet indicate some specialty of sensitiveness 

 or association of legend (Berberis, Clematis)." 



H 



