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is, to endeavour, by means of descriptions, to ascertain the names 

 of as many plants as possible ; I do not mean to say that the name is 

 all he searches for, but that is and must be the first step — it is the 

 root of his knowledge, and without it he cannot proceed one step fur- 

 ther. Here he finds the great benefit of classification ; instead of 

 having the descriptions jumbled together in a promiscuous heap, he 

 can, by the aid of a good system, soon comparatively isolate the plant 

 he wishes to name, and eventually identify it with some one or other 

 of the species. By this means he begins to know plants, and puts 

 in practice the technical knowledge he was before acquiring. A fi- 

 nished botanist has little or no need of classification. Suppose a 

 botanist knows at once all the plants of Britain, and c-an tell their 

 distinctions, history and uses ; when he arrives at this point the utility 

 of classification ceases ; he knows species as species — as separate 

 individuals, and unconnected with their congeners ; and though sys- 

 tem has been the great means of conducting him to this point, it is no 

 longer of any use to him. And were it possible that in like manner 

 one could be familiar with all the plants on our planet, in the same 

 way would the aids of system be dispensed with ; but as this pitch of 

 perfection cannot be attained, and as we are always students — always 

 have more to learn, so we can never lay aside the assistance of clas- 

 sification. Thus it evidently appears that the main use of classifica- 

 tion is to assist us in the knowledge of species ; classification is the 

 means of acquiring a science, — not the science itself. Let us, by the 

 means of system, learn the name of a plant, we have then many means 

 of gaining the additional information, without which the mere name 

 would be worth nothing. This is, I think, only confining system 

 within its proper limits, without in the least narrowing the sphere of 

 its usefulness. Without enlarging more on this head, which a little 

 reflection will convince any one is and must be correct, let us now 

 glance at the comparative merits of the two systems, as constituting 

 an easy introduction to the knowledge of species. 



There never has been a system which is not liable to exceptions ; 

 and when species are classified in more than one set of groups, this 

 would be nearly impossible, as the different sets of characters used to 

 distinguish the various divisions cannot always be accordant. A sys- 

 tem in which the distinguishing characters are limited, is peculiarly 

 liable to this objection ; yet notwithstanding the latitude of definition 

 and the vagueness of distinction too common in the characters of na- 

 tural groups, how many exceptions stare us in the face at the first 

 glance ! We should imagine, considering the great outcry which has 



