400 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
which would have been valuable as the work of so eminent 
a Botanist. During its progress, the ill-faith and imbecility of 
that prince brought about the revolution of the Cortés, and 
Lagasca, who had ardently embraced the principles of liberty, 
was compelled, along with all the most estimable citizens of 
the land, to take flight, in consequence of the second French 
invasion ; and his Herbarium, together with his manuscripts, 
which he carried about, most carefully, with him, were 
lost or destroyed upon the Guadalquiver, iu the alarm of the 
retreat. From that time, Botany has fallen into a state of 
almost utter stagnation in Spain, and the Madrid garden and 
its valuable contents have been turned over to incompetent 
or destructive hands. Not a single descriptive work, worthy 
of mention, has since been undertaken. Lagasca, after a long 
exile, spent in England, returned home upon the decease of 
Ferdinand ; but feeble health, joined to the discouragements 
which the loss of his materials and the want of kindred minds 
entailed upon this ardent naturalist, have prevented his ever 
resuming, with ardour, his favourite pursuits. He has, 
however, put into some kind of order the establishments con- 
fided to his care, and educated several students, who promise 
to deserve well of Spanish Botany when that land shall enjoy 
a breathing-space from the civil war and anarchy which now 
rend it in pieces, and when government is enabled to apply a 
portion of its resources to the encouragement of science. 
Madrid is, just now, the only place in the whole Penin- 
sula, where Botany can be tolerably learned. There are, 
certainly, several courses of lectures delivered on the subject 
at Barcelona, Valencia, and Cadiz; but they are purely 
theoretical, only intended to convey some superficial ideas to 
the young physician, and they have hitherto answered no 
practical purpose as respects an acquaintance with the Flora 
of Spain, which is the first foundation to be sought. 
At this present moment, Spain is that country in Europe 
whose vegetation is least known, and this blank is much felt. 
Many of its provinces have never been visited by any bota- 
nist, and not one has been at all thoroughly studied,* the 
* All that we really know is the environs of Madrid and Aranjuez, in à 
