98 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



Men of genius have, neverthelefs, taken inex- 

 preflible pains to aflign characteriftic names to the 

 different parts of plants. They have even bor- 

 rowed mod of thofe names from the Greek, a lan- 

 guage of fingular energy of expreffion. From this 

 has refulted another inconveniency ; it is, that 

 thofe names, being for the moft part compounds, 

 cannot be rendered into modern language ; and 

 for this reafon it is that a great part of the Works 

 of Linnaus are abfolutely incapable of translation. 

 Thefe learned and myflerious expreflions, no 

 doubt, diffufe a venerable air over the ftudy of 

 Botany; but Nature has no need of fuch refources 

 of human art to attract our reflect. The fubli- 

 mity of her Laws can eafily difpenfe with the em- 

 phafis and obfcurity of our expreflions. The more 

 light a man carries in his own bofom, the more 

 wonderful he efteems it to be. 



After all, mod of thofe foreign names, em- 

 ployed particularly by the herd of Botanifts, do 

 not fo much as exprefs the moft common charac- 

 ters of vegetables. They frequently make ufe, 

 for example, of fuch vague expreflions as thefe, 

 fnavè rubente, fuavê olente, of an agreeable red, 

 lweet-fmelling, in order to characterize flowers ; 

 without exprefling the (hade of red, or the fpecies 

 of perfume. They are Hill more embarrafled, 

 when they wim to convey the dufky colours of 



