PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 487 



observers." Would Mr. Lees or any other botanist recommend a student in 

 Chemistry to begin by studying the physica subterranea of Becher and Stahl, 

 or would he recommend him to commence Zoology by reading Aristotle and 

 Pliny. Would he not much rather put into his hand the chemical treatises 

 of Turner and Thomson, and the zoological works of Cuvier and Grant ? If, 

 then, he would adopt such a plan in one science, where is the reason for acting 

 differently in Botany ? 



Let not, however, Mr. Lees suppose that because he is the advocate of the 

 Linnaean system, I cannot admire the enthusiasm and elevated feeling he throws 

 into his pursuit of science, or that I would wish in the least manner to depreciate 

 or prejudice exertions like his. I feel, in common with him, an anxious wish to 

 extend widely an increased desire for a knowledge of the various branches of 

 Natural History, and feel pleasure in being a fellow-labourer in the same field 

 with such a man as himself; and if I have differed from him in the point under 

 discussion, it has been very far from my wish either to treat him " uncourteously," 

 or in the remarks I have made to act the part of a " flaming partizan." He 

 must also remember that, in this case, I was not the aggressor ; and although he 

 might not in his communication (p. 68) have had any intention of provoking 

 discussion, yet I should certainly have passed over his letter uncommented on, 

 had he not made a direct attack on an incidental expression of my own. 



I remain, 



Yours very sincerely, 



Campsall, near Doncaster, Edwin Lankester. 



July 28, 1838. 



PROCEEDINGS OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 



LIVERPOOL NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



July 13. — Mr. T. B. Hall read a short paper on the natural system of Botany, 

 accompanied by some interesting remarks on the geographical distribution of 

 British plants, principally in reference to an intended Flora of the neighbourhood 

 of Liverpool, which Mr. Hall is about to publish (see p. 395). The paper was 

 illustrated by some excellent drawings and synoptical tables of the different 

 natural systems, which were supplied through the kindness of Dr. Dickinson. 



The Society then took into consideration the interesting geological discovery 

 lately made at Storton-hill. The following is an abstract of the information 

 elicited during the discussion : — 



3s 2 



