26 REVIEWS. [January, 



from the LinnEean to the Natural arrangement^ and adding se- 

 veral illustrative plates of the more troublesome genera. The 

 latest edition of this work, edited by Dr. Walker Arnott, though 

 changed in some respects, retains the greater portion of the 

 original matter, and with the preceding editions, can only be 

 regarded (so to say) as a 'cultivated variety^ of the original 

 stock, the ' Flora Britannica,^ To the same stock may be re- 

 ferred, perhaps, the majority of the local Floras." 



We do not profess to understand the sentence we have quoted, 

 but it would appear to convey the following meaning : if we be 

 wrong let the reviewer correct us ; our opinion is given with 

 much deference. It might be inferred that Sir W. J. Hooker's 

 ' British Flora,' which has some years ago reached its seventh 

 edition, was originally compiled from Sir J. E. Smith's, with the 

 adoption of the Natural arrangement, as it is called, instead of 

 the Linnsean ; " condensing the matter, changing the plan from 

 the Linnsean to the Natural arrangement," etc., — these are the 

 reviewer's words. The fact is, that at least four editions were 

 published before the Natural arrangement, as it "is called, was 

 adopted ; and, as the reviewer says, the edition commonly at- 

 tributed to Dr. Walker Arnott is the first in which the new ar- 

 rangement was substantially carried out. The first edition of 

 this popular work on our native plants was published thirty years 

 ago ; and the sixth edition, in which the change was really made, 

 appeared in 1851. Whether it ba a cultivated variety of the 

 English Flora, or a work of independent merits, we need not say, 

 because the question is not referred to us ; but the reviewer is 

 not quite correct in assigning the change of method to Sir 

 W. J. Hooker. Certainly not before the fifth edition of the 

 ' British Flora,' did this eminent author make said change. 



It is to be hoped that the editor of the ' Natural History Re- 

 view ' will not be angry with us for reminding him of what all 

 our readers know right well ! If he avers that he knows all this 

 as well as we do, we only observe, that his mode of dealing with 

 the subject gives no sign of such knowledge. Into the merits 

 of Mr. Bentham's work on our British plants we cannot enter, 

 for a good reason ; but we accept the judgment of the highest 

 authorities, who have warmly recommended it. 



We beg leave further to inform our contemporary, — if he will 

 allow humble mortals like ourselves the liberty of calling him 



