XXVlll PRELIMINARY DISCOURSES. 



that those anomalous structures, which seem to have no immediate 

 connections and are, at present, excluded from every known Order, 

 may yet find near relatives in the unexplored regions of the 

 vegetable creation; and that future discoveries may possibly sup- 

 ply all the links, which now appear to be wanting, in the great 

 chain of organic existences. 



In the mean time, to those who are commencing the study of 

 Botany and especially to such as have no other aid than books, 

 I would say Avail yourselves of the Linnaean Method, as the 

 easiest stepping-stone to the vestibule of the temple, and the 

 readiest means of acquiring the names, and learning some of the 

 characteristics, of the more common plants around you. In this 

 way, an immediate interest in the pursuit will be excited, which is 

 indispensable, and can only be effected by successful research ; for, if 

 the student is met by repulsive difficulties at the threshold, he is 

 apt to be discouraged, and to abandon the undertaking.* But, 

 while I concede this much, in order to enlist you in the delightful 

 enterprise, I would add, and earnestly enjoin upon you as soon as 

 you have effected these preliminaries to make-it an invariable rule 

 to refer every plant to its appropriate place in the Natural System ; 

 to study its characteristic features, and examine with a scrutinizing 

 eye, all its relations to kindred objects. I would furthermore 

 recommend, to all who are bent upon mastering the Science, to 

 commence a Herbarium, from the start, f Establish a correspondence, 



* While I admit that a mere acquaintance with the names of objects, is the most 

 superficial kind of natural knowledge, observation has satisfied me, that even 

 such knowledge is useful to Beginners in the Science, by the early encourage- 

 ment, and hopeful stimulus, which it imparts to their researches. I think there is 

 force, and good sense, in the following passage from a writer in the last century : 



" Let it be considered that the first degree of wisdom is to know things when 

 we see them i. e. to know them by their names; and without this knowledge 

 scarce any progress can be made. To know the letters of the alphabet, to join 

 them into syllables, to understand words, is not solid erudition; yet it is absolutely 

 necessary for him who would become learned. Thus the characters and names of 

 things must be thoroughly learned in order to obtain any use from Natural 

 History. We find in the journals of travellers, many things mentioned, partly 

 curious, partly useful, concerning animals, plants, and stones; but those obser- 

 vations can be of no use to us, till we are able to refer each to its genus; that we 

 may make them a part of the system, and know that this curiosity, or use, belongs 

 to this or that object, when it happens to come in our way." GEDNER, in STILLING- 

 FLEET'S Tracts. 



fThe young Botanist should make it a rule to collect and preserve good speci- 

 mens (one or two for himself, and some for his friends,) of every species, and 

 remarkable variety, that occurs to him in his walks ; labeling them carefully 

 with the name, when known, but, whether known or not, at once, and invari- 

 ably, noting the place of growth, and the time when obtained, together with any 



