TO 



THE COURT OF EXAMINERS 



OP 



THE SOCIETY OF APOTHECARIES, 



LONDON. 



GENTLEMEN, 



As Guardians of the education of a very consi- 

 derable part of the Medical Profession, the subject of the 

 following pages cannot be otherwise than interesting to you. 

 If a knowledge of the Plants from which medicinal substances 

 are obtained, is in itself an object of importance, as it most 

 undoubtedly is, the Science which teaches the art of judging 

 of the hidden qualities of unknown vegetables by their external 

 characters is of still greater moment. To what extent this can 

 safely be carried, it is not, in the actual state of human know- 

 ledge, possible to foresee ; but it is at least certain, that it 

 depends entirely upon a careful study of the natural relations 

 of the Vegetable Kingdom. 



Measures have lately been taken by the Society of Apothe- 

 caries, which cannot fail to exercise a most beneficial influence 

 upon Botany, and, which must have been viewed with feelings 



