92 NAMES OF PLANTS. 



Cheshire, Derbj^shire, or Yorkshire. These differences are 

 not confined to the working classes, for though they might 

 be all equally learned, and use precisely the same terms and 

 phrases, the pronunciation of an Englishman, Scotchman, 

 or Irishman, each a graduate of a university of his own 

 country, is very different, especially in the sound of the 

 vowels. Such peculiarities of pronunciation need not, how- 

 ever, lead us into any confusion, for in the case of educated 

 men the same method is followed uniformly in their whole 

 discourse. I think, therefore, that we may safely adopt the 

 usage of our universities, as exemplified by their graduates 

 in all parts of the country, especially in our pulpits and law 

 courts. It is true these learned men may know nothing of 

 Botany, or have no occasion to pronounce botanical names* 

 but, as I just stated, we in England pronounce Latin and 

 Greek generally in the same way as we pronounce English, 

 so that a correct pronunciation of the latter leads to, and is 

 necessary for, the correct or usual pronunciation of scientific 

 names. As to accentuation, it is usually marked in our 

 British Floras as decided by botanists who are also classical 

 scholars, and frequently university professors; if any one 

 desires to pronounce these names in what w^ould be 

 considered the most correct manner by competent judges, it 

 will have to be accomplished by observation of the usage of 

 competent men, and study of the accents as set down in the 

 books. There are still a few difficulties remaining, but they 

 are not of great importance. Though in most cases our 

 authorities agree, they sometimes differ, so that it is hard to 

 see how we could by any means arrive at absolute uniformity : 

 the difference of opinion to which I allude is met with, how- 

 ever, only in a few words, so few that they can easily be 

 pointed out. 



In many cases the discrepancies arise from a yielding up 

 of what would appear to be the correct to the usual pronun- 



