PREFACE. XXI 



Zurich^ and a great German critic has been pleased 

 to reckon it inferior only to the Flora Germanica 

 of Schrader. The author cannot but wish so high 

 a compliment were better deserved. The Compen- 

 dium Flora Britannica is an epitome of this work, 

 containing the specific characters entire, with a few 

 additional remarks. This has been reprinted, and 

 accommodated to the German Flora, by Professor 

 Hoffmann, at Gottingen ; and the late Mr. Galpine 

 published an English translation, at Salisbury, in 

 1806. 



Dr. Hull of Manchester has furnished the English 

 student with a British Flora in his native language, 

 of which there are two editions. 



Notwithstanding all these publications upon Bri- 

 tish Plants, the want of a more complete and au- 

 thentic work in English, unexceptionable in phra- 

 seology, has been generally felt and acknowledged ; 

 insomuch that various applications have, from time 

 to time, been made to me, for permission to translate 

 the Flora Britannica, or to compile an English 

 work from that and the English Botany ; for it has 

 been observed by some persons that " a British 

 Flora can in future be no more than a compilation." 

 Such projects, and such views of the subject, made 

 me sensible of the necessity of my undertaking an 

 English Flora ; and since this intention has been 

 announced, the calls for its accomplishment have 

 multiplied, so that I find myself under an obligation 

 to make, at least, a beginning, by publishing two 

 volumes in the first place, and proceeding imme- 

 diately with the remainder. 



Having now, for more than thirty years, had the 



