882 
tion. 
So far, or rather so little is this boasted 
national work advanced in its course. 
The various evolutions of the seed are 
not yet explained: the organized struc- 
ture of the stem and branches, and of 
their various appendages ; the structure 
and variety of the leaves, and of the 
evolution from them of oxygen and other 
airs; the food of plants, and the prin- 
ciples of agriculture; and lastly, the 
main professed object of the whole, the 
structure of the flower, with the illustra- 
tion of the Sexual System, still remain 
behind. Nor is this all: the history of 
systems, and the lives of the most emi- 
nent botanists are to be given, before 
Dr. Thornton commences with a transla- 
tion of the Genera Plantarum. If he 
had not been a novice indeed in the art 
of calculation; he must have been sen- 
sible that not twelve or fourteen, nor 
twenty, nor evena hundred numbers, will 
be sufficient to complete his design in 
the manner in which he has hitherto con- 
ducted it. 
Sed ohe: jam satis est. The patience 
of the public must soon be exhausted. 
As to ourselves, we have not a drop 
left. Never were tavish promises more 
scantily realized. When the author him- 
self appears, he exposes, what Dr. John- 
son would have called, his inanity. But 
he is generally willing to avail himself 
of other men’s labours. A very consi- 
derable part of the literary composition 
consists of quotations, most frequently 
verbatim, from various writers. Two 
quotations from Milton fill five pages. 
We have always thought that in the bu- 
siness of quotation, we reviewers are 
first-rate workmen: but in the presence 
of Dr. Thornton, we hide our dimi- 
nished heads. His work is, indeed, lit- 
tle more than a piece “fof shreds and 
patches,” clumsily stitched together with 
coarse packthread, and instead of a na- 
ART. XK. 
WE have here another magnificent 
and castly publication, but of a very 
diferent character from the foregoing 
atticle. Mr, Lambert, well. knowing 
how to estimate the value ef accurate 
ideas, perspicuous description, and just 
arrangement, has devoted his attention 
to the elucidation of a single genus, and 
lras' become a valuable addition to the 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
the influence of electricity on vegeta- 
tional honour, may more justly be deems 
ed a national disgrace. 
But we are reminded that we have 
unaccountably overlooked the capital 
beauty of the publication ; and that its 
merits, and its acceptableness with the. 
public, rest chiefly on the excellence, the 
splendour, and magnificence of the en- 
gravings. We have all along been sen- 
sible Sd it, and in this respect are not at 
all disposed to be sparing of our praise. 
Our praise, however, is not needed. ‘The 
smaller uncoloured botanical plates’ in 
general, but especially the larger co- 
loured ones, do the highest honour to the 
‘artists, and will be lasting monuments of 
the fine taste and masterly execution 
which characterise the British nation in 
the present age. But when Dr. Thorn- 
ton claims a share of the fame, we are 
reminded of a farce, which, in our play- 
going days, afforded us much amuse- 
ment. It is called, if we mistake not, 
A Peep behind the Curtain, and is writ- 
ten on the plan of the Duke of Bucking- 
ham’s celebrated dramatic satire. Its 
plot turns on the rehearsal of a musical 
piece, founded on the story of Orpheus 
and Furydice, in which some cows are 
to be introduced, dancing to the lyre of 
the ancient bard. When every thing 
else is ready, the cows are wanting, and 
the prompter is dispatched in haste to 
enquire the reason of the delay. We 
quote from memory, and, after a lapse 
of thirty years, will not vouch for more 
than the general spirit of the dialogue. 
“‘ The author,”’ cries the trusty messen- 
ger out of breath, “ is impatient to see 
his cows; he relies much on them for, 
the success of his piece.” ** His caws,’”’ 
replies the indignant maker, “ they are 
my cows: JZ know that his play will be 
nothing without them; and I will have 
him to know, that vain as he is, he shall 
not run away with the glory of the car- 
penter.”’ 
A Description of the Genus Pinus. By AycumerR Bourke Lampert, 
fisq. FLR.S. Pice President of the Linnean Saciety. Folio. 
list. of monographers in natural history. 
One of the species of the genus pinusis a 
native of our ‘sland, and several others 
have been so long cultivated among us, 
that they may be considered as nearly 
naturalized ; but the genus itself has hi- 
therto been inperfectly understood, and 
the greater number of its species have 
been very insufficiently discriminated. 
