4 ADDRESS OF THE EDITOR. [January, 



The absolute or perfect idea of a species is impossible^ because 

 the totality of the individuals composing the species is not yet 

 filled up ; and therefore a true description of the species is im- 

 possible. At the very best, there can only be given a description 

 of the qualities of a greater or less number of individual plants. 

 Any number of these may be defined and limited, and still the 

 definitions of these individuals, or of the properties common to 

 myriads of individuals, may be strictly and absolutely inapplica- 

 ble to species. Botanists assume the existence of typical species^ 

 typical genera, and typical orders. Will any of them condescend 

 to tell their doubtful brethren Avhat is the type of a species ? We 

 suppose they assume that any individual of the species is an 

 adequate representative of that species. This may readily be ad- 

 mitted. But may it not be admitted that every species is an 

 adequate representative of a genus, and every genus a sufiicient 

 type or representative of an order ? If so, "what are typical species, 

 typical orders, types of vegetation, distribution, etc. ? Are they 

 " voces et prceterea nihil," as the hungry Athenian called the 

 cooked nightingale, served up for his supper ? Until systematists 

 can define typical plants, it is to be feared that a universal system 

 deserving the name of natural is still in nubibus, and will be re- 

 vealed only when the sun of science has dispelled the dense fogs 

 by which the minds of ordinary mortals are bemisted. Typical 

 plants will appear to plain men like ideal pictures, and they will, 

 like artistic ideality, be rather phantoms, or dreams of the fervid 

 imagination, nonentities, anything rather than realities. Suppose 

 a jury of artists were empanelled to select a specimen of the 

 human figure and face divine which should be typical of the 

 human race ; would they find a unanimous verdict ? Scarcely, 

 teste the Hottentot Venus and the Chinese exhibition in Hyde 

 Park seven years ago. 



It may be asked again, is not every single individual of a spe- 

 cies, a just representative of that species ? It ought to possess 

 the characters of the species, or it has no business among them. 

 If it be a just representative of the species, what need is there of 

 a typical plant to represent the species? All botanists admit 

 this without the least demur. But some of them assume the 

 existence of typical species, though they deny or neglect typical 

 individuals. But if typical individuals are useless, as they evi- 

 dently appear to be, what need is there for types of orders and 



