REVIEWS. 45 



The brilliant discoveries which stud, at short intervals, the career of some 

 men, are not so much the result of fortunate coincidences, or superior 

 abilities, as they are the legitimate offspring of habits of close observation, 

 carefully and systematically pursued ; and we believe that, to the earnest 

 student, there is no department of natural science whose unknown trea- 

 sures do not exceed the wildest imaginings of her most enthusiastic 

 votaries. 



The student who would seek a close acquaintance with nature, must toil 

 long, and watch anxiously ; bright glimpses will often illumine his path, 

 tempting him to stray into theories which his severer judgment would 

 condemn ; but as he struggles onward his pleasures will gather at each 

 step more thickly around him, while the sense of his own ignorance will 

 deepen in contemplating the wondrous wisdom of Him who made all the 

 things of beauty by which he is surrounded, and whose contemplation fills 

 his inner soul with joy. 



THE FERNS OF GREAT BRITAIN. Illustrated by John E. Sowerby, Pro- 

 prietor of Sowerby's English Botany. The descriptions, synonyms, &c., 

 by C. Johnston, Botanical Lecturer at Guy's Hospital. London : J. E. 

 Sowerby, 3, Mead-place, Lambeth. 1855. 8vo. Pp. 88, with 49 

 plates. Full coloured, price 1 7s. ; partly coloured, 14s. 



NOT very long since we introduced to our readers' notice the first part of 

 the volume before us, with the intention of bringing it again before them 

 when the work was complete. This we have now the pleasure of doing, 

 and it affords us much gratification to be able to say, that the volume now 

 complete has kept up the promise of its first number. 



This work naturally divides itself into two distinct heads ; the descrip- 

 tions by Mr. Johnston, and the illustrations by Mr. Sowerby. An average 

 of one page of letterpress is devoted to the description of each species. The 

 descriptions are neatly written and have appended to them instructions for 

 cultivating the ferns. The nomenclature is somewhat of a puzzle to us, 

 and the preface affords us no hints by which we could arrive at a conclu- 

 sion. One thing is certain, the author has not adopted that proposed by 

 Mr. Newman in his third edition of the " British Ferns." We expected 

 that, this being an illustrated work, we should have had every species that 

 had any claims to such, figured ; but we shall presently show our readers 

 that this is not the case, and that Mr. Johnston has not been a writer 

 of descriptions to introduce illustrations, but claims notice, if not as a 



