Sir J. E. Smitli's Ansxi^ei- to Mr. Lindley. 31 



If he believed I had no such right, he ought to have given the 

 honour wliere he supposed it to be due. To publisli the opi- 

 nions of M. du Petit-Thouars us entirely novel in this country, 

 betrays what I should hope is merely an unaccjuaintance 

 with this branch of science and literature. I am flattered to find 

 these opinions so powerfully confirm mine. But whether or 

 not this truly eminent philosojjher agrees with me in every 

 detail, or whether, as it appears, he has carried his inquiries 

 further, and made more vei'y interesting remarks, than I pro- 

 fess to have done, especially concerning Buds, I hope I may 

 be excused for attending to other things. Practical Botany is 

 my pursuit, and Nature my book. I have known in my time 

 the " celebrated philosophers " of France, and their '' violent 

 opposition " to one another. How they " cover themselves 

 with glory," and how Englishmen, who have little credit at 

 home, cover themselves likewise with what they can borrow. 

 Mr. Lindley's character and abilities are above all this, and 

 I hope he thinks as well of mine. If I have differed from him 

 about Reseda and Mespilus, in my English Flora, I surely have 

 not mentioned him in a way to give offence, and should be 

 very sorry if he has taken any. I have found it necessary for 

 " the interests of science " to differ likewise from M. Richard, 

 a truly eminent botanical philosopher, though a great cor- 

 ruptor of our terminology, as his translator is aware. Some 

 of these differences I have mentioned, with all due respect, in 

 a new edition of my Introduction, now in the press, and they 

 have no connexion with the matters in dispute between me 

 and Mr. Lindley. Though I saw his translation while printing, 

 I either did not see, oi" till lately did not advert to, his pre- 

 face, the first paragraph of which is as follows : 



" Among the number of elementary works which have 

 issued from the English press within a few years, it is to be 

 lamented that not one should have appeared, vvliich is at all 

 ecjual to ex})lain one of the most important parts of botany, 

 the structure of fruits and seeds." Mr. Lindley thus further en- 

 forces this assertion in his letter in your last Number, p. 4.57 : 

 " 1 said that with reference to the subject of the work in 

 (|uestion, that is, of fruits and seeds, nothing had been done 

 in tiie form of an elementary iaork\ For liie truth of such a 

 statement, I appeal to the world." 



Having, to the best of my abilities, furnishcil the English 

 student of botany with all the inl'ormation on the above sub- 

 ject re(|uisite for practical use, always preferring, as in all my 

 botanical characters, what is apparent and clear, to wJiat, 

 though seeming learned, is most obsc ure, diflicult and uncer- 

 tain, I cannot but feci the above as a personal and uuiiierited 



iittack. 



