BOTANICAL BIOLOGY. 401 



pervuded both bis work and bis personal intercourse we may trace tbe 

 secret of tbe extraordinary influence wbicb be exerted over bis pupils. 

 As tbe bead of one of tbe great national establisbments of tlio country 

 devoted to tbe cultivation of systematic botany, I need bardly apologize 

 for devoting a few words to tbe present position of tbat brancb of tbe 

 science. Of its fundamental importance I bave myself no manner of 

 doubt. But as my judgment may seem in sucb a matter not wbolly free 

 from bias, I may fortify myself witb an opinion wbicb can bardly be 

 minimized in tbat way. Tbe distinguisbed cbemist Prof. Lotbar Meyer, 

 perbaps tbe most brilliant worker in tbe Held of tbeoretical cbemistry, 

 finds bimself, like tbe systematic botanist, obliged to defend tbe posi- 

 tion of descriptive science. And be draws bis strongest argument from 

 biology, " Tbe ijbysiology of plants and animals," be tells us, ''requires 

 systematic botany and zoology, together witb tbe anatomy of tbe two 

 kingdoms; eacb speculative science requires a ricb and well-ordered 

 material, if it is not to lose itself in empty and fruitless fantasies." No 

 one of course supposes tbat tbe accumulation of plant specimens in 

 herbaria is tbe mere outcome of a passion for accumulating. But to do 

 good systematic work requires high qualities of exactitude, patience, 

 and judgment. As I attempted to show on another occasion, tbe world 

 is bardly sensible of the influence which tbe study of tbe subject has 

 had on its afiairs. Tbe school of Jeremy Bentbam has left an indelible 

 mark on the social and legislative i^rogress of our own time. Mills 

 tells us that "the proper arrangement of a code of laws depends on 

 the same scientific conditions as the classifications in natural history ; 

 nor could there," he adds, " be a better preparatory discipline for tbat 

 important function than the principles of a natural arrangement, not 

 only in the abstract, but in their actual application to the class of phe- 

 nomena for which they were first elaborated, and which are still the 

 best school for learning their use." He further tells us that of this, 

 Jeremy Bentbam was perfectly aware, and that bis " Fragment on Gov- 

 ernment" contains clear and just views on tbe meaning of a natural ar- 

 rangement which reflect directly the influence of Linnicus and Jussieu. 

 Mill himself possessed a competent knowledge of systematic botany, 

 and therefore was well able to judge of its intellectual value. For my 

 part, I do not doubt that precisely tbe same qualifications of mind which 

 made Jeremy Bentbam a great jurist, enabled his nephew to attain the 

 eminence he reached as a botanist. As a mere matter of mental gym- 

 nastic, taxonomic science will hold is own with any pursuit. And of 

 (;ourse what I say of botany is no less true of other branches of natural 

 history. Mr. Darwin devoted eight or nine years to the systematic 

 study of the Cirripedia. " No one," he himself tells us, " has a right to 

 examine the question of species who has not minutely described many." . 

 And Mr. Huxley has pointed out, in the admirable memoir of Mr. Dar- 

 win which he has prepared for the Royal Society, that " the acquire- 

 ment of an intimate and practical knowledge of the process of species- 

 H. Mis. 224 20 



