174 CHAPTERS ON BRITISH BOTANY. \^June, 



A complete Flora of this entire tract should be prepared. This 

 would probably be the work of five years at least, unless several 

 persons were associated in the enterprise. It is likely that some 

 considerable time will elapse before it will even be undertaken. 

 It is small encouragement to surmise that the plants which might 

 be collected would not defray a hundredth part of the expense. 

 As there are but few amateur travellers who understand botany, 

 it is not at all probable that this want will be supplied in these 

 our utilitarian days. Engineers may visit this interesting tract 

 to survey it and to mark out the fittest line for a railway be- 

 tween Constantinople and Bagdad, or between Beyrout and the 

 Euphrates. A botanical expedition to survey the beauty of the 

 vegetable kingdom would be unproductive of anything, except, it 

 might be, the approbation of a few devoted votaries of Flora. A 

 Flora Palestina, however desirable, is not likely to be speedily 

 composed. 



There is another object, quite as desirable as the former, and 

 much more practicable, viz. the uses of the names of plants, bo- 

 tanical terms, etc., in conveying forcibly to the common people 

 the words of inspired wisdom ; the rebukes, corrections, threat- 

 eniugs, promises, hopes, encouragements, enounced by the holy 

 prophets of old. 



Holy Scripture, as is well known, abounds in figurative or me- 

 taphorical language, or in allegorical descriptions and parables. 

 These are sometimes very inadequately represented to modern 

 readers through the medium of things with which they are con- 

 versant. A master-mind is wanted to explain the botanical 

 phraseology of the Bible, — so to translate it that it may have 

 the same beauty and force among us as it had when spoken to 

 the ancient Hebrews. Or if this be impossible in certain cases, 

 an approximation is practicable, and exceedingly desirable. He 

 who undertakes this office need not go to Palestine ; although a 

 visit to that sacred territory might be helpful. If he is a good 

 Biblical scholar, a sound theologian, and a moderately good bota- 

 nist, he would have ample qualifications for this undertaking. 



A work like that of the Bev. Wm. Jones ' On the Figurative 

 Language of Holy Scripture,' or like that of the learned Dr. 

 Robert Lowth ' On the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews,' would 

 supply this desideratum, and would be a boon to all lovers and 

 students of the volume of inspired wisdom. 



