311 



under the name of bikh or nabee. The tingling of the lips and tongue 

 produced by tasting this root is most intense. Dr. Pereira found that 

 one or two grains of its alcoholic extract will kill a small animal in 

 ten or fifteen minutes, if introduced into the cellular tissue beneath 

 the skin."* Should not, then, according to the natural system, simi- 

 lar deleterious properties belong to the other species of Aconite ? 

 Certainly ; but what is the truth ? " I have found," says Dr. Chrisli- 

 son, " that Aconitum Napellus, Sinense, Tauricura, uncinatum, and 

 ferox possess intense acrimony ; that A. Schleicheri and nasutura 

 possess it feebly; and that A. paniculatum, lasiostomum, Vulparia, 

 variegatum, nitidum, Pyrenaicum, and ochroleucum do not possess it 

 at all."t It thus appears that plants must be considered as indivi- 

 dual species, and that no reliance is to be placed on any supposed 

 properties as being connected with either classification or generic 

 structure, a few of the Linnean classes excepted. Even the same 

 plant may possess different properties at different periods of its 

 growth ; thus the acrimony of Aconitum Napellus continues in the 

 leai'es till the seeds begin to form ; it then rapidly disappears, and 

 when fJiei/ are ripe it is entirely gone, though the seeds themselves 

 are intensely acrid; while, according to the able author quoted, " the 

 leaves of Aconitum paniculatum are bland throughout every period of 

 its growth ; and so are its seeds, and its root." 



With thousands of similar instances before their eyes, why do the 

 abettors of these systems maintain that they lead to a knowledge of 

 the virtues of plants ? Why are their systems called natinal when 

 they are not so in any sense whatever ? Names are things. 



" O be some other name ! 

 What's in a name ? That which we call a rose, 

 By any other name would smell as sweet." 



True, but that which we call the natural system of botany would by 

 any other name lose its magical influence. Change this seductive 

 title, that 



" palters with lis in a double sense ; 



That keeps the word of promise to our ear, 



And breaks it to our hope," 



to some other more consonant to truth, and then try the value of a 

 name ; the embryological system would perhaps be the most appro- 

 priate appellation, but at all events that of natural is groundless and 



* Dr. Chiislibon's Dispensatory, cd. 2, p. .57. | Ibid, p. 54. 



