PREFACE. 
tables they have left), or.gradually developed by 
the geographie botanist. '"l'hus may Botany help 
to corroborate the. sagacity o of the antiquarian and 
the historian, and. the botanist receive reciprocal 
assistance: thereby proving how. importent the 
sciences may become to each other, through the 
medium of deductions at first Veperciptiliss But 
we must cease digressing. 
This Essay would not so soon have appeared, 
had it not been for the solicitations, and through 
the assistance, of the author's valuable friend and 
eoadjutor in collecting, cultivating, and commu- 
nicating this Order of plants—the Rev. W. T. 
: Bree, of Allesley near Coventry. For the further- 
ance of this purpose ;. he.has personally examined 
many of the English, Welch, and Scotch moun- 
tains, with unusual success: and those of Ireland, 
also, have. yielded to his assiduity an abundant 
harvest of interesting matter. ..Nor has. his zeal 
stopped even here ; for it has induced him to pur- 
chase costly publications, without the aid of which 
the present Essay could hardly have been com- 
pleted.. To his liberal coadjutor, therefore, the 
. author has gratefully requested paeem to - 
cate the whole. 
« The. observations of Mr. ien iiia as 
nature of those multifid-leaved .Sazifrages allied 
Yo; Sax. Hypnoides ; ( and- witch thence. we. all 
Rolertsonia ;. the former. in tlie. mountains - -of 
Wales, Cumberland bc wideptiesls the latter in 
xiii 
