220 REVIEWS. , {July, 



Lamium amplexicaule, and L. purpureum, are not rare anywhere 

 between the four British seas. 



Let not the above remark be construed in a sense contrary 

 to the writer's intention. In a small island^ every plant is in- 

 teresting to those who take an interest in plants and their dis- 

 tribution, whether the species be frequent or rare on the adjoining 

 continent. 



If there be a single sentence or word, in what has been above 

 stated, depreciatory of these essays, or of their multifarious and 

 interesting contents, such is quite unintentional, and the author 

 apologizes for it accordingly. 



There are several reasons why the notice of our readers is 

 called to this unique periodical. First, it is a work o\\ natural 

 history, and a considerable part of its contents are as a matter of 

 course interesting to all ^enwixiQ phytologers (botanists). In the 

 second place, it is evidently the production of true, energetic, 

 though young amateurs of natural science. A catholic spirit, 

 an unmistakable sympathy with the beautiful and the good, is 

 manifest in every page. "There is a striking absence of egoism 

 (selfishness), toadyism (too much deference to the mere accidents 

 of wealth, title, reputation, etc.), and cliqueism (blindly following a 

 leader). We are not able to praise in sufficiently appropriate and 

 appreciative terms the fresh, manly, healthy, moral tone which uni- 

 formly piervades these pages. Our third reason for bringing them 

 thus prominently before the public, is to encourage the authors to 

 persevere in their efforts to acquire and disseminate knowledge. 

 This is a gratifying duty, and it is done both for the sake of encou- 

 raging the writers themselves who are thus enlarging the sphere 

 of their future usefulness, while they are contributing to the on- 

 ward progress of society. Our fourth and last .reason for this 

 notice is, that our readers may be urged to imitate so good an 

 example, — to associate, if only in parties of two or three, and to 

 communicate to each other their respective discoveries. 



One of the greatest obstacles to progress is sectarianism, which 

 is as obstructive in science as it is in religion. Associations of 

 unprejudiced, unfettered, independent men, among whom there is 

 none to take the lead, and where no one is afraid of another, but 

 where all are equally observant of nature, all lovers of the 

 truth and fearless in expressing their opinions, their experiences, 

 and the results of their observation, may be in time a remedy 



