PREFACE of the TRANSLATORS. xi. 



once arranged in the form of an alphabetical Glof- 

 fary; but we perceived, that by removing the terms 

 from under their proper heads, their definitions became 

 much more difficult ; for the fame adjunct has fre- 

 quently five or fix different meanings according to 

 the fubject to which it is referred. We have there- 

 fore preferved the ingenious arrangement of the o- 

 riginal, and added an Alphabetical Index, by which 

 any word may be referred to under each of its figni- 

 fications. To thefe we have fubjoined the Plates from 

 the Philofophia Botanica, fo that we hope by thefe 

 means to prefent the public in our native tongue the 

 molt compleat edition yet extant in one work of the 

 celebrated Sexual System. Of that Syftem which 

 hitherto like the Bible in catholic countries, has been 

 locked up in a foreign language, acceflible only to the 

 learned few, the Priefts of Flora, whilll: the gardiner, 

 the herb-gatherer, the druggift, the farmer, and all 

 who are concerned in cultivating the various tribes of 

 vegetation, in detecting their native habitations, or in 

 vending or confuming their products, could by no 

 induftry arrive at that Syftem, which they wiihed to 

 attain, and were capable of enlarging. 



It remains only, that we mould here make our 

 moll: grateful acknowledgements to the President 

 of the Royal Society, who with his ufual liberality 

 allowed us the ufe of his Botanic Library ; to Dr. 

 Linneus, the prefent Botanic ProfeiTor at Upfal y for 

 fupplying us with a part of his Supplementum 

 Plantarum, before the whole was publifhed ; to 

 that great Mafter of the englifh tongue Dr. Samuel 

 Johnson, for his advice in the formation of the botanic 

 language ; and for variety of opinion, remark, and 

 afiiftance, to the learned Professors of Botany in 



the 



