1859.] ADDRESS OF THE EDITOR. 3 



plants. Both in scope and detail, the work is so different from 

 the usual routine of books we have to deal with, that it is with 

 considerable misgivings that we undertake it. The subject is 

 both difficult and laborious, and the results are by no means of a 

 promising character. Nevertheless the work is seriously and ur- 

 gently recommended to those who can spare time for its perusal, 

 to those who are not afraid of innovation, to those who are un- 

 biassed by favourite, pet schemes of their own or of their intimate 

 friends; to all who are interested in progress, or who love truth, 

 whether in science, politics, morals, or religion. 



The learned author, who knows the merits of the work, is not 

 very sanguine about its general reception. He does not antici- 

 pate that all botanists will embrace his views. His acquaintance 

 with humanity might justly be reckoned very inferior to his ac- 

 quaintance with botany, if he did indulge any such extravagant 

 hopes. It is vain to expect unanimity about the arranging of 

 large groups, such as classes, divisions, and orders, or even genera, 

 when there are so many different opinions about smaller assem- 

 blages, viz. species, races, varieties, etc. Are all botanists agreed 

 about the limits or the definition of species ? The discrepancies 

 among botanists even on this head are notorious. Some bota- 

 nists doubt even the existence of species. These assert that Spe- 

 cies is an abstraction or a conventionalism ; a term expressive of 

 an ideal entity, not the name of a real thing. 



If there be no unity of opinion about species, can we reason- 

 ably look for unanimity about genera, orders, and larger groups 

 of plants ? What individual plant has ever been received, or in- 

 deed can be received, as the type or representative of a species ? 

 The abstract idea of a species includes every individual of that spe- 

 cies that ever existed, is now in existence, or will come into being 

 in the ages to follow. No individual plant exactly represents in all 

 its possible modes of being every plant of the same sort or species 

 that has been or will be. Even if the doctrine of Linnseus be 

 admitted, that a single perfect plant, or a pair of imperfect or 

 diclinous plants were originally created, this would not solve 

 the difficulty. It may be asked, was the original plant the type 

 of its descendants, as Adam was the representative of the human 

 race ? If the answer be affirmative, it may still be urged that 

 there is no existing description of this original of the specific 

 race. Which of the descendants is the typical species ? 



