270 " THORNS " NOT " THisTLEs/' [^September, 



the only Thorn common to the British Isles and the Holy Land/' 

 he has spoken without book. There are at least four species of 

 thorny plants common to the two countries, viz. Prunus spinosa, 

 Sloe; Ononis spinosa, Rest-harrow; Rosa rubiginosa, Sweet-briar; 

 and Ruscus aculeatus, Butcher's-broom. Whether the White- 

 thorn be a native of Palestine we have no evidence; but the 

 silence of authors would argue the contrary. 



A better authority than Lady Calcott is sought. Perhaps it 

 may be difficult to obtain a better. The preface to the * Scrip- 

 ture Herbal ' will show that its lamented author did not attempt 

 a task for which she was unfitted; or enter upon it without 

 having made herself acquainted with those authors, ancient as 

 well as modern, who could throw light upon the subject, which she 

 had taken in hand. Whatever Lady Calcott's obligations to Cel- 

 sius, Hasselquist, Forskal, and others, may have been, thfe advice 

 and assistance afforded by her friend the late Robert Brown, 

 give an authority to her work which we shall not do well to call 

 in question. In proof of this statement I refer to the following 

 passage from the preface to the ' Scripture Herbal,' and a note to 

 the same : — " I owe the use of it (the ' Hierobotanicon' of Celsius) 

 to my excellent friend Robert Brown, Esq., without whose kind- 

 ness in advising me and procuring for me books which I could 

 not otherwise have commanded, my own little work, if executed 

 at all, must have been defective indeed.'' Note. — " It may seem 

 vainglorious thus publicly to boast of the friendship of this great 

 botanist, who, by the universal voice of the naturalists of the 

 continent of Europe, has received the title of Princeps Botani- 

 corum, a title hitherto bestowed only on Linnseus. But I shall 

 soon be beyond the power of expressing gratitude in this world, 

 and I am willing with what breath I have to thank him, and to 

 express a regard which has lasted long and can only end with 

 life. His friend Mr. Bennet has also done much for me, and 

 must receive my thanks here for all his trouble." Nothing more 

 need be added in support of the authority of Lady Calcott's 

 work. 



W. M. Hind. 



Harrow, August 5, 1859. 



