PREFACE. 



Vtt 



for the delightful verdure of the fields is continually before our eyes, 

 continually inviting the researches of the curious naturalist, 



Who, when young Spring protrudes the bursting gems, 

 Marks the first bud, and sucks the healthful galo 

 Into his freshen'd soul ; her genial hours 

 He full enjoys ; and not a beauty blows. 



And not an op'ning blossom breathes, in vain. ~'' 



Thomson; 



There is not a planter in the island but has some leisure time to cul- 

 tivate this agreeable study, and his very hours of business will att .rd 



hiin 



tut was feizcd with siicli langu'ir, wraiitiPss, nnd weakness, tluif it was with difficulty lie sud- 

 jjortoil liiniit'lf lill he got Iioiik' ; he uas much troubled with giddiuess in his luad, his vision w:is 

 confused, iind soiiu'tinns objects appraied double : at sev< n o'clock he took an emetic, wiiich 

 brouj;ht up, as he supposes, all ihu tools paisley he had eaten, but not any of the lettuce ; this 

 considerably relieved him iroin the uneasy sensations in l-.is boweis, but the other sjinptoms con- 

 tinued, and he passed a restless nii;ht. Next day ho had much pain in his head and eves, which 

 last were inllanied and bloodshot ; he had different circumscribed sweltinus in his (ace, which \vt>re 

 painful ami inllamed, but they were transient, and flew tioin place to place ; this night he took a 

 powder which made him sweat profusely. On Saturday his eyi.s were hi^hly inflamed, painful, 

 and entirely dozi d by the surroumlinj; inflammation ; this day he Wiis bled, which gave him much 

 ease in his head and eyes. Fn in this tim until JMoiuhiy he contmuvd to get better; but liad,. 

 even then, pain, heat, and inflammation in his eyes, with cedemaliu^ swellings of his cheeks ; his 

 remaining symptoms went otl' gradually, anil he is now well. He had been told that the j)laai he 

 Jia<l eaten was heml.ick ; to be satisfied I accompanied him into the garden where he had giilhered 

 ''^ht^-p'tint-, and found it to be cclhusa cynii/nu?!/, or fools parsley. 'J'o be coniineed of this beyond 

 a "doubt, I compared a specimen of it wiih the ligure and description of the plant in the l^'lora 

 Londiiienais, wiih which 1 found it exactly to correspond." 



" hidcpf ndeni of the singular salisfaclion (continues Mr. Smith) wdiirh Mr. Lnwo must feel . 

 from knowing the plant in question, an advantage has arisdi ii> ihe public ; llie poisonous (]Ualily 

 of the fools paisley is ascertained, which betore was only suspected, 'lime, and a tasti- for science, 

 which of lat'.' years have made such rapid a-ivances, and suck material improvements in every 

 branch of medicine; which has introduceil a rational practice, founded on an intimate knowledge 

 of the animal ceconomy, and an accurate history of diseases;- which has rescued sui^iery from the 

 hands of pretemlers, and taught mmkind to repose a confidence in those only who have laudably 

 (xrrted themselves in acquiring anatomical knowledge; which has redeemed chemistry from em- 

 pirics, and made it subservient to the practice of phyic ; will, it is presumed, in a few years^ 

 place botany in a more favourable point of view, and cause its utility to be mure generally ac- 

 ktcwhdged." 



