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Notice of ' Observations on Natural Systems of Botany.^ By James 

 L. Deummond, M.D., Professor of Anatomy and Physiology in the 

 Royal Belfast Institution ; Author of ' First Steps to Botany,' ' Let- 

 ters to a Young Naturalist,' ' First Steps to Anatomy,' &c. Lon- 

 don : Longman & Co, 1849. 



It may possibly be looked upon by some of our readers as a sub- 

 ject of regret that the ' Phytologist' should again be converted into a 

 controversial arena, when its pages might be occupied by matter more 

 generally interesting; but seeing that we have been openly charged 

 with wilfully misrepresenting and maligning the author of the little 

 work bearing the above title (Phytol. iv. 211), we consider that an en- 

 deavour to set ourselves right with our readers is a duty which we 

 are imperatively called upon to perform. In the first place, however, 

 we beg to assure Dr. Drummond, that in penning our remarks on his 

 * Observations,' we were actuated by no such feelings as those he is 

 pleased to attribute to us ; and that so far from wishing to misrepre- 

 sent or malign him, our predominant feeling was one of regret, that a 

 gentleman of high standing in science and of acknowledged ability 

 should have laid himself open to critical severity, by the publication 

 of a book which we feel sure must be regarded by every unprejudiced 

 reader as entirely unworthy of his talents. 



Wishing to be satisfied that we had not by inadvertence fairly ren- 

 dered ourselves amenable to the charge of misrepresentation, we have 

 again carefully perused the ' Observations on Natural Systems of Bo- 

 tany,' and must conscientiously reiterate our former opinion, confirmed 

 by this reperusal, that the book is neither more nor less than a lament 

 for the decline of a popular taste for botanical science in Great Bri- 

 tain, consequent upon the endeavours of Dr. Lindley and others to 

 place the study of that science upon a firmer and more philosophical 

 footing than had previously obtained : and at the same time, this re- 

 consideration of the subject has strengthened our conviction, that no 

 one who properly understood what he was writing about would have 

 advanced such futile arguments in support of his opinions as we find 

 in nearly every page of the ' Observations,' 



Let us not, however, be misunderstood. There are many — very 

 many — of Dr. Drummond's remarks to the truth of which we most 

 heartily subscribe, as we shall have more than one opportunity of 

 showing as we proceed in our analysis of the contents of this book. 

 In this analysis it is our intention to allow the author generally 

 Vol. IV. 2 s 



