570 



that the author of the work before us has judiciously 

 availed himself of the mode of defining genera, by short es- 

 sential characters, as introduced by Linnaeus in the 1 Oth edi- 

 tion of his Hystema Natura, and since adopted by Murray, 

 Willdenow, and the generality of botanists, instead of the 

 full or natural, characters, of the Linnaean Genera Plan- 

 tarum. These short characters however are not servilely 

 copied by Jussieu, but wherever he had materials they are 

 revised and studied, so as to acquire all the merit of ori- 

 ginality. Secondary characters and remarks are subjoined, 

 in a different type, illustrative of the habit, history, or affi- 

 nities, of the several genera. In his nomenclature Jus- 

 sieu almost entirely follows Linnaeus, retaining only here 

 and there a name of Tournefort's, in preference, and 

 swerving from classical taste and correctness principally 

 with regard to the new genera of Aublet, whose intolera- 

 bly barbarous names are nearly all preserved. But a note 

 in the preface, p. 24, informs us, that this adoption is 

 only temporary, till the genera themselves shall be per- 

 fectly ascertained and defined. Where Jussieu differs 

 from Linnaeus, in certain generic appellations, it is prin- 

 cipally because the latter fails in respect for his own laws ; 

 as in the use of adjectives, like Gloriosa, Mirabilis, Im- 

 patiens. The inordinate abuse of generic names in ho- 

 nour of botanists, of which Linnaeus is, too justly, charged 

 with setting the example, meets with due reprobation from 

 the French teacher; but he has not as yet stemmed the 

 muddy torrent, nor prevented a great additional accumu- 

 lation of subsequent impurities. His commendation of 

 Linnaeus, as the author of a new and commodious system 

 of specific nomenclature, as well as of technical definition, 

 on the best principles, is liberal, manly and just, no less 

 honourable to the writer, than to the illustrious subject of 

 his remarks. The whole preface of Jussieu is a concise 

 and learned review of the physiology and distinctions of 

 plants, more particularly explaining the progress of the 

 author's ideas and principles of botanical classification. 



