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might be given to other professional studies with far more compensat- 

 ing advantages. But as we cannot effect this boon and benefit for 

 the unlucky students, we should like well to see their abhorred bo- 

 tanical lectures i-endered interesting and useful (at least, not quite so 

 uninteresting and unuseful) by a tacit understanding between teacher 

 and students, that he should teach them botany just so far as it can 

 be shown to bear upon their professional views and knowledge, with- 

 out exacting, from them any farther acquaintance with the subject. 

 But the ' Elements of Botany ' is a work of course addressed to stu- 

 dents generally ; and if practically for medical students more than for 

 others, it is still intended for them as general learners of botany, and 

 not as learners of the medical bearings and uses of that science. As 

 such, it must be viewed ; and as such, it is undoubtedly a very useful 

 and instructive work. Many a botanist, who deems himself far above 

 " pupillage," might profit by perusal of its pages ; and truly we say 

 this on our individual experience. We have s;'en newspaper Editors 

 candidly state that they lived by finding fault; for, if they commended 

 only that which pleased them, and avoided that which displeased, they 

 would soon cease to be read. There is much in the ' Elements ' which 

 pleases, — a little which displeases. Illustrations of each may be 

 drawn fi-om a chapter on " the Manner of Studying" — no useless ad- 

 dition to the ' Elements of Botany.' 



" Take any common flowering plant," says our author, " no matter 

 what, and examine every part of its structure, making careful drawings 

 of what you see, and securing preparations for examination at a future 

 time." " There can be no doubt that the exact investigation of the 

 structure, in all particulars, of the commonest plant, tends more to a 

 correct knowledge of botany than the superficial examination of all 

 the plants in nature." " Such an investigation forms an exact standard 

 of structure, to which all other cases may be compared." "As soon as 

 the structure of one plant is ascertained, another should be taken, and 

 the points in which it resembles or diflfers from the first subject noted 

 down, and, if possible, also drawn. A continual repetition of this 

 operation with fresh plants is what eventually leads to botanical 

 knowledge." 



This advice is sound ; and it is so simply because it directs the 

 mind of the learner nearly in the same course that nature herself does. 

 Individualities are the first steps in all departments of knowledge ; 

 and exact individualities are the foundation of science. But we must 

 dissent widely indeed from the soundness of our author's advice, when 

 he goes on to say, "At first, species should be little attended to, 



