10 MARTIUS ON THE BOTANY OF BRAZIL. 



alone been published, and the results of the grand expedition 

 of the celebrated Mutis lie buried in the chests of the Bota- 

 nic Garden of Madrid. 



The next author on the Flora of Brazil mentioned by 



fon, be pronounced free from imperfection, — nay> from error ? If the natural 

 sciences themselves are still far from attaining perfection, this is not because 

 the human mind has continued stagnant and inactive; for, on the contrary, 

 it has lately honoured itself by prodigious discoveries, especially made during 

 the past century. But, for this very reason, it becomes more and more inter- 

 esting and honourable to compare what is ancient with what is modern, and 

 to render justice to merit wherever it may be found. We feel certain, that 

 all learned men, all friends to science, whether natives of this country or 

 foreigners, will applaud this enterprise, and, while acknowledging the in- 

 terest that it inspires, will join with the zealous partisans of the national ho- 

 nour and glory to promote its success. In a word, that we may not be taxed 

 with partiality, we will finish this slight sketch of our author's work, by ad- 

 ducing the opinions of those eminent individuals, who were permitted to 

 see and consult it, either in the Imperial Library at Paris ; among others, 

 his excellency Viscount de St Leopold, M. M. Spix, Martius, Aubert du 

 Petit Thouars, St Hilaire, &c,, and here quoting what they wrote respecting 

 it. The former, in his annals of the Province of St Peter, when speaking 

 of the celebrated plant Mate, says, ' M. de St Hilaire has communicated 

 to me a description of it,' adding, that he ' had seen a very correct draw- 

 ing of the plant in the Flora Fluminensis of Vellozo, (where it was, how- 

 ever, improperly named Chomelia amara,) the production of a man of 

 great merit, who, unprepared by preliminary study, and impelled solely by 

 his own genius, has undertaken and executed several long and difficult 

 botanical excursions. May the Flora Fluminensis no longer continue un- 

 published and overlooked in the library at Rio Janeiro ! Such are my 

 wishes, prompted alike by a desire for the promotion of science, and for an 

 act of justice towards the memory of one who is the ornament of his coun- 

 try, and a credit to the religious order, of whose rule he ever proved him- 

 self a strict observer.' 



" The wishes of this zealous citizen and estimable writer are now accom- 

 plished. M. de St Hilaire expressed the same desire in a note of his book 

 entitled History of the most remarkable Plants of Brazil and Paraguay, 

 when he says, ' Vellozo is the author of Flora Fluminensis, a work now 

 existing in mst. at Rio Janeiro, and of which it is much to be desired that the 

 magnificent drawings could be published.' It is our privilege, at the present 

 day, to congratulate this eminent writer on the fulfilment of his wishes. 



" Finally, an individual, celebrated alike in arms and literature, as well as 

 by the numerous researches that he made to discover the traces of the in- 

 trepid and unfortunate La Perouse,— -we allude to M. Aubert du Petit 



