1862.] JOHN BLACKSTONE. 147 



The references to these celebrated Continental authorities prove 

 that he was learned in the literature of the science. 



The number of the liarefield plants is above 500, and they are 

 contained in 113 pages : and there is an appendix to the book, of 

 six pages, consisting of short notes relating to Harefteld and its 

 history. The preface, explanations, title, dedication, etc., fill 

 up eight pages. The typography is good, and the appearance of 

 the book very creditable. 



The chief localities {loci natules), which, as before said, are 

 well defined, are the lanes about Harefield, Harefield Common, 

 and above all the chalk-pit near the paper-mill at Harefield. 

 Y The nomenclature is chiefiy that of C. Bauhin's ' F'max' with 

 the synonyms of Ray, Gerarde, and Parkinson ; other authors 

 are sparingly quoted. There is no difficulty in identifying his 

 ancient names Avith the modern terminology ; for his synonymy, 

 like his habitats,,, j^ Ql^ai'/i-and^fi^ppus, .and v,hi^s^ References are 

 exact. .p Y-j.-^+o-'^yrtns. fif';; .oproo'tc;" ,'i-^r"'"r: ^"-■ 



So far as can be gathered from his work, he laboured alone ; 

 both in the collecting of his materials and in the compilation of 

 his book. Mr. Ashby's name is the only one that appears as an 

 ,a,uthority; and this gentleman is quoted but once, viz. under 

 Friiillaria Meleagris, as having known this plant as spontaneous 

 in the neighbourhood, for upwards of forty years. 



Our author acknowledges no other friendly aid ; and hence 

 it, is inferred that he had no associates in this scientific labour. 

 .n?The parish of Harefield is no longer in the same condition as 

 it was when visited and botanized by the apothecary of Fleet 

 Street. Its Common has shared the fate of many other commons, 

 which we once knew as real commons ; it has ceased to be com- 

 mon property for at least a century. Harefield itself is a good speci- 

 men of an English village, and has probably been unaltered and 

 unenlarged in these days of physical or material progress, but 

 remaining exactly as it stood in the days of Blackstone. The 

 church, the rectory or vicarage, the manor-house, the park, the 

 woods, the lanes, and especially the river, the meadows, the corn- 

 fields, with paths across, are still as in the days of old. There is 

 the churchyard, the rookery, the inn, the mill, and probably the 

 old chalk-pit. In spite of all the improvements, good botanizing 

 about Harefield is still possible ; for example, in the old park, 

 early in the summer or late in the spring ; and in the end of 



