194 BOTANICAL NAMES. 



LECTURE XXIII. 



Use of Botanical Names. Artificial classes and orders consider- 

 ed in groups. Classes 1st and 2d. 



HAVING briefly noticed some of the most conspicuous natu- 

 ral families of plants, according to the arrangement of Jussieu, 

 we will now proceed to investigate in detail the Artificial or 

 Linnaan System. 



From what has been already observed, you have no doubt 

 come to the conclusion, that this is the best method yet disco- 

 vered, of finding out new plants, and of ascertaining the bo- 

 tanical names of those which are already known by their com- 

 mon names. If, in all countries, the common names were alike, 

 there would be no need of any other; but the names of plants 

 vary, in different languages, as much as other terms. We 

 call that pen which, in France, is called plume, so we call that 

 oak, which is there called chene.* Even in the same coun- 

 tries, and often in the same neighbourhoods, the common names 

 of plants are different, but botanical names are the same, in all 

 ages and countries ; without this uniformity no permanent im- 

 provement could be made in the science. Suppose a botanist 

 in France should send a description of la chene (the common 

 name for oak), to his friend in America; if the latter knew 

 something of French, he might mistake the word chene for chien, 

 which signifies a dog,rnd thus he might fall into the grotesque 

 mistake of supposing that his friend had described a wonderful 

 species of dogs. But let the French botanist use the term quer- 

 cus, and on the supposition that the American understood bota- 

 ny, he would at once know the meaning of the term as plainly 

 as if it had been written oak. All botanical names are in Latin, 

 because this is the language most universally studied ; and for 

 this reason all books on botany v/cre fora long time written in 

 that language.-)- And although it is well for the; Ic-irm-d thus 

 to communicate with each other, by one common language, it 

 would be unjust to deprive all who are not versed in that lan- 

 guage, of the pleasure and advantage to be derived from this 

 delightful science. But the learned are not only intent upon 

 making discoveries ; they also desire to impart them to others ; 

 and the fountains of botanical knowledge have, by the exer- 

 tions of men of genius and learning, been made accessible to all. 



* Pronounced shane. * 



t All the botanical works of Linnaeus were written in Latin. 



Use of botanical name*. 



