the latt Sir J: E. Smith, 15 



profound investigations; but, in the second instance, he addres- 

 ses those who knowHttle or nothingof science, and who seek only 

 such knowledge as may give them general notions, and as 

 may be consistent with other avocations and other studies. 

 The latter is an important part of the duty of a scientific man, 

 and he who has a talent for it, should feel as much pleasure 

 in alluring the.ignorant to know something, as he feels in aid- 

 ing the profound inquirer. Whatever may be the truth of 

 the adage, •' a little learning is a dangerous thing," in other 

 cases, and we are inclined to doubt its correctness in all, every 

 acquisition in the knowledge of nature is desirable. The con- 

 templation of flowers has in every age afforded to mankind 

 the purest pleasure. Their delicacy of form, their sweetness of 

 fragrance, their brilliancy of colour, and the poetical associa- 

 tions connected with them, are never failing sources of interest 

 and delight. But a degree of botanical knowledge greatly em 

 hances this pleasure, and in the study of their mutual relations 

 and varied construction, the student finds an agreeable and a 

 never ceasing occupation. But I think that we may go far- 

 ther than this, and say, that the study of botany is by no means 

 unimportant in an intellectual point of view ; for we cannot 

 think that arrangements so beautiful, definitions so correct, 

 discrimination so accurate, and distinctions so precise, should 

 be studied without advantage to the mental culture ; for of 

 how much importance in every study are the habits which 

 give precision to language, and distinctness to definition, and 

 these advantages may be acquired, and these pleasures en- 

 joyed, without a very profound course of botanical study, which 

 indeed, can only be followed up by a few. • • 



It is therefore of great importance that there should be 

 works on these subjects, suited for general purposes, works 

 which may be popular yet accurate, interesting yet scientific, 

 which shall, in short, combine the essential quahties of sound 

 botanical science, without the repulsive characters which fre- 

 quently accompany scientific writings. It is in this view that 

 Sir James has had so much influence in promoting the study 

 . of botany, and I am happy to add the testimony borne to this 

 merit by his friend, the eminent professor of Botany in the 



