523 



be mentioned the sometimes rather peculiar grouping of the orders 

 into alliances, and the choice or fonnation of English names for the 

 orders. And not a small practical objection might be raised against 

 the author's wide changes in the series, or relative position of the or- 

 ders and alliances. 



As an example of the peculiar grouping into alliances, we may cite 

 the disseverance of FumariacesB and Papaveraceae into different al- 

 liances ; the former being combined with Vitaceae, &c. and the latter 

 with Ranunculaceae, &c. The union of Silenaceae and Polygonaceae 

 under the same single alliance, seems equally forced at first view ; 

 though it may be that familiarity will gradually reconcile botanists to 

 these seeming incongruities, after a little restiveness at first. On 

 placing Polygonum Convolvulus by the side of Silene acaulis, for in- 

 stance, it appears more easy to find distinctions than affinities ; but 

 the outrageous non-resemblance is a good deal softened down, when 

 Polygonum aviculare stands by Arenaria rubra ; and closer resem- 

 blances might be found in other plants less familiar to British 

 botanists. 



On the whole, one of our greatest objections to be urged against 

 Dr. Lindley's systematic methods, is that relating to the changed se- 

 ries or relative positions of the orders. It is on the ground of practi- 

 cal inconvenience, however, more than upon scientific views or 

 supposed affinities, that such changes are objected to. Herbaria ar- 

 ranged in accordance with the ordinal and generic series of one 

 author, are not much better than a chaotic medley when they require 

 to be referred to or consulted in connexion with the writings of other 

 systematists. And with the works of Dr. Lindley before us, we need 

 not advert to the varied arrangements of different authors merely, but 

 even to the varying arrangements of different editions from the pen of 

 the same author. 



With the complete ' Vegetable Kingdom ' at hand, there would be 

 found considerable advantage in the arrangement of orders and genera 

 in correspondence with the series and lists set forth in that volume. 

 But, on the other side, such an arrangement would render a working 

 herbarium highly inconvenient with reference to the Prodromus of De 

 Candolle, or to the Repertorium of Walpers ; to which, as works on 

 species, there is a great practical convenience in adapting the se- 

 quence of orders and genera in herbaria. 



This ever-recurring c^is-correspondence between the arrangements 

 of different authors, and of the same authors at different dates, implies 

 some radical fault of method. No doubt it may be partly attributed 



