30 Fancifol Ideas for a Museum of Shells, 



truth, I have chosen it on account of its being more heart 

 than any thing else ; as truly I would rather, of the two, have 

 them lovable than wise. I hope I shall also be forgiven, if 

 I mingle with it the Pinna (pinna, a wing or feather ; shape) 

 fragilis [fig, S.g), to put the world in mind of the unlovable- 

 ness of an amazon. To come to particulars : for a boddice 

 I would employ the Carinaria {carina, a keel ; form) vitrea 

 {^g. S. h), the glassy Nautilus, a most rare and valuable shell, 

 entirely pure and transparent, and by which I would have 

 understood that the qualities of the heart are the most 

 valuable ; and that of these purity and sincerity are among the 

 foremost. The head I would adorn with the Venus (the 

 sea-born goddess) islandica {/ig, 8. d), and Venu5 Chion^ 

 (Chione, the daughter of Daedalion, of whom Apollo and 

 Mercury became enamoured) (j%. 8. 2) which, besides its 

 uncommon beauty, contains an animal capable of assuming a 

 variety of forms at pleasure : and is not this a good sha- 

 dowing of the wisdom of her who can turn her talents to 

 whatever fate may have rendered the most necessary and 

 pleasing in her? Enchanted with this the last of my crea- 

 tions, as a proof of my affection I will add a belt of the 

 Merita (neros, hollow ; the superior whorls occupying but a 

 small portion of the internal cavity) canrena ( fig. 8. k), and 

 take my leave ; not, I fear, before you have in your own mind 

 likened this shell of my thoughts to the iepas {lepas, a rock ; 

 adhering to rocks) anatifera (anas, a goose, y^ro, to bear; 

 feather-like tentacula gave rise to the whimsical supposition 

 of the barnacle shell being the parent of the barnacle goose) 

 ( fig, 8. /), in which. Sir Robert Moray informs us, he could 

 always find something of the goose. 



I remain, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Hampstead, March, 1828. Conchilla. 



Art. VII. A general Introductory View of the Jussieuean or 

 Natural System of Plants, 



The difficulties connected with the adoption of the natural 

 system of plants are these, that the characters of many of the 

 orders are at present imperfectly known, and that they depend 

 upon a consideration of many points of structure, which are 

 not to be determined without much labour, and a considerable 

 degree of practical skill in the use of the microscope and the 

 dissecting knife. But the facilities which the habit of viewing 

 all natural bodies with reference to the relations they bear to 



