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Monarque of botany, that they would have as soon allowed 

 the greatness of Louis XIV. to be questioned, as that of 

 this distinguished philosopher. So beneficial was this 

 partiality, in some respects, that it gave an unprecedented 

 impulse and popularity to the science ; so disadvantageous 

 was it in others, that it placed a formidable barrier in the 

 way of all improvement. Vaillant, the able and worthy 

 pupil of Tournefort, has never been forgiven for speaking, 

 on some occasions, too freely of his master's defects. 

 Hence his own merit has been kept in the background. 

 The doctrine of the sexes of plants was discountenanced 

 as long as possible, because it was proved by Vaillant, 

 after having been rejected by Tournefort. Nevertheless, 

 when the good seed of science is once sown, it can hardly 

 be totally suffocated by the impediments of prejudice and 

 ignorant partiality. Practical zeal sprung up by the side 

 of speculative jealousy, and the tares withered, while the 

 profitable plants flourished. Some botanists followed the 

 steps of Tournefort to the Levant, exploring afresh those 

 countries which he has for ever rendered classic around. 

 Others visited America, which they traversed in different 

 directions. The indefatigable Plumier performed three 

 separate voyages to the western world, and though his 

 discoveries have, in a great measure, suffered shipwreck 

 from tardy and imperfect patronage, as a great part of his 

 collections did by the accidents of nature, yet something 

 of value remains. His Filices are enough to insure his 

 perpetual remembrance, and his Nova Genera are the 

 basis of our knowledge of generic differences in West In- 

 dian plants. Most of all has been distinguished, among 

 the French botanists who succeeded the times of Tourne- 

 fort and Vaillant, the family of the Jussieus. One of 

 these investigated the prolific regions of Peru, and dis- 

 covered some things which no succeeding traveller has 

 gathered ; other branches of this family, besides being- 

 eminent in medical science and practice, have pursued 

 the study of botany with no ordinary success, on the most 



