8 " MARTIUS ON THE BOTANY OF BRAZIL. 



intended should appear in Brazil, in numbers accompanying 

 every ten plates, but none appeared except with the first 

 number. The same evil star seems to have attended this 

 great undertaking (which has cost the Imperial Brazilian 



This work, entitled 'Flora Fluminensis,'' contains descriptions of 1639 

 species of plants. 



"This valuablemanuscript, the fruit of much labour, science and precision, 

 is complete as regards the plates, but some deficiencies exist in a few of the 

 latter descriptions. This slight omission will, however, be little felt in an 

 age when this department of Natural History has attained such perfection. 



"The author dedicated it in 1790, to Louis de Vasconcellos, since created 

 Count de Figueiro, his patron, The work obtained him the honour of 

 being summoned to the court of Lisbon, where he enjoyed not only the 

 notice and. esteem of all amateurs of Natural History, but also of the 

 learned and noble individuals who acknowledged his distinguished merit. 

 Government testified its confidence in his talents, by intrusting to him 

 several scientific works of different kinds, and he was, moreover, selected 

 to establish and direct a school of chalcography and literature, whose happy 

 results were highly beneficial to science and the arts, while they proved at 

 the same time, his learning, industry and zeal. 



*' The Reverend Jos. Marianus Vellozo, inspired by the force and energy 

 which genius communicates, developed his talents in the execution of this 

 work, an undertaking the more meritorious when we consider his advanced 

 age ; for the greater part of his life had been spent in the strictest obser- 

 vance of his religious duties, his residence in a country subjected to the 

 severity of colonial legislation, and his situation, which was isolated and 

 almost indigent, though abounding in those riches of nature's productions, 

 which he alone knesv how to appreciate, and which are so lavishly scattered 

 over this part of the world. 



" Addressing his descriptions to the learned, ourauthor preferred writing 

 in the Latin language, and we must do him the justice to confess, that 

 he is almost always happy in the choice of his expressions, which are emi- 

 nently sonorous and harmonious; those names of ancient or modern sgavans 

 being selected, which are of agreeable sound and easy to be retained in the 

 memory, thus avoiding a fault into which many of the most eminent writers 

 in this line have fallen. Nor did he neglect the great advantage of per- 

 petuating such names of plants as are used among the original inhabitants 

 of the country, because they mostly convey to the mind that kind of utility 

 which they may possess. To crown the result of his painful researches, 

 Vellozo had the advantage of finding in the recesses of his cloister, and 

 among his brethren, some skilful draughtsmen, whose excellent delineations 

 leave nothing to be desired in the original designs from which these beauti- 

 tul plates, long the admiration of connoisseurs, have been copied. 



