76 Prof. Daubeny's Inaugural Lecture. 



mental calibre of those whom the Professor expects habitually to ad- 

 dress j but, if it be greater than that of children or mere boys, we 

 would proceed directly to the point which it is avowed is the ultimate 

 one — to which, indeed, all have recourse at last, if they continue the 

 practical investigation of plants. 



We hold the pertinacious attachment to the artificial system to be 

 the cause of the low degree of estimation in which botanical science 

 is, therefore deservedly, held in this country. If we are right in this 

 opinion, it is certainly greatly to be regretted, that that which was 

 formerly dignified with the name of Botany should yet linger in our 

 schools, or that any should be found to teach it, since there has arisen 

 in its stead a science which is beautiful, philosophical, and capable of 

 the most varied and useful applications, — capable of being applied to 

 medicine, horticulture, to entomology, chemistry, and, above all, to 

 climatology, and, consequently, to geology. The method of Jussieu 

 does for the Vegetable Kingdom, that which the method of Macleay 

 does for the Animal, viz. by putting us in possession of a single fact, 

 or a few facts, it confers upon us the power of inferring many more, 

 relating not only to the structure of the plants, but to the juices circu- 

 lating in the vessels, and the products elaborated therefrom. If some- 

 thing more than the name of a plant be comprehended in botanical 

 arrangements, let us imitate the example of Linnaeus, who, conscious 

 of the inadequacy of his artificial system to serve the cause of genuine 

 botany, wisely abandoned it, and devoted himself to devising a natural 

 method, and called upon all botanists to assist in accomplishing so 

 desirable an object. Let us no longer cling to this system, which 

 has been expelled from almost every other country of Europe, — but 

 rather let us 



Cast it, like an idle weed, away, 



which cannot be suffered longer to deform the fair garden of philoso- 

 phic truth. The lecture before us contains abundant proofs of the 

 soundness of the principles of the natural method, and of the interest- 

 ing confirmation of those which the respective parts of plants afford. 

 To it we refer, and advise all who may feel any concern in the pro- 

 gress of botany to procure it, which will be at once productive of 

 pleasure to them, and of benefit to the Botanic Garden at Oxford, as 

 the profits arising from the sale of it are to be devoted to the improve- 

 ment of that, one of the earliest in this country. To aid in this ob- 

 ject, the Professor and many Members of the University have already 

 liberally contributed, and we trust that their praiseworthy example 

 will be extensively followed. 



Oxford contains many amiable and enlightened men, well disposed 

 to see instruction in the natural sciences form a part of the regular 

 academical course of education. By the strenuous and able exer- 

 tions of the new Professor, these cannot fail to become more numer- 

 ous. We therefore wish him the success he deserves in the prosecu- 

 tion of his labours, and by which the cause of botany will be greatly 

 promoted, and its sphere of usefulness extended. %* 



