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tages ever matured by the fervid suns of the glowing South. But, be 

 it remembered, that the botanist thus depending on his wits for a 

 dinner, might possibly find himself in a fix, unless they were some- 

 what sharper than those of the man of whom Wordsworth sings in 

 the well-known lines, 



"A primrose by the river's brim, 

 A yellow primrose is to him, 

 And it is nothing more ! '' 



This being the case, we are by no means disposed to quarrel with 

 the records of gustatory localities and proceedings frequently intro- 

 duced into the accounts of botanical excursions, particularly those 

 of our good friends in the North. We especially honour old Johnson 

 for not thinking it beneath the dignity of a man of his standing to in- 

 form us that he and his friends dined at Rochester, merrily supped 

 together at Gravesend, drank ale with the learned Mayor of Queen- 

 borough, and had a sumptuous repast provided by Mr. Wallis, with 

 similar instances of hospitality experienced in their numerous pere- 

 grinations through the length and breadth of the land : these records 

 amply testify both that the spirit of hospitality even now exercised 

 by all persons who have the slightest pretension to a love for natural 

 history, had gained deep root in our island upwards of two hundred 

 years ago ; and that no modern naturalist worthy the name has in 

 any wise degenerated from that pristine love of good cheer and good 

 fellowship which distinguished the ancient fathers of the science : 

 teste, among other proofs which will present themselves to the 

 mind of our readers, the merry doings at all the meetings of the Bri- 

 tish Association wherever they may be held. In the nature of things 

 it must indeed be so. If, as Coleridge has well said, — 



" He prayeth well who loveth well 

 Both man and bird and beast," 



so, altering a word, we may further say with him, 



" He liveth best who loveth best 

 All things both great and small ;" 



and, loving them, useth them without abuse, and according to his 

 ability dispenseth the blessings wherewith he hath been favoured. 

 To the honour of naturalists generally we are bound to record the 

 disinterested hospitality over and over again experienced at their 

 hands. Indeed, when we call to mind the past pleasures of our 

 former botanizing excursions, when, with appetite sharpened by exev- 



