INTRODUCTION 



LECTUEE I. 



IMPORTAI^CE OF STSTE]Sr. ADVANTAGES TO BE DEEIVT^D FROM THE 



• STUDY OF BOTANY. 



Division of the Lectwes. 



1. The universe consists of nnatter and mind. By the facul- 

 ties of mind with which God has endowed us, w^e are able to 

 examine into the properties of the material objects by which 

 we are surrounded. If we had no sciences, nature would pre- 

 sent the same phenomena as at present. The liea^enly hodies 

 would move with equal regularity, and preserve the same rela- 

 tive situations, although no system of Astronomy had been 

 formed. The laws of grcwity and of motion would ' operate in 

 the same manner as at present, if we had no such- science as 

 JSTatural PnaosoPHY. The affinities of substances for each 

 other were the same, before the science of- Chemistry existed, 

 as they are now. The cJiaracters whicJi distinguish families 

 ofjylants^ and the laios of the vegetable hingdom.^ do not dejyend 

 on the discoveries of Botanical science. It is a truth Vvdiich can- 

 not be too much impressed upon the mind, in all scientific 

 investigations, that no systems of man can change the laws 

 and operations of I^ature ; though by systemxS w^e are enabled 

 to gain and perfect a knowledge of these laws and relations. 



2. The Deity has not only placed before us an almost infinite 

 variety of objects, but has given to our minds the^;>(9?/j(?/' of re- 

 ducing them into classes, so as to form beautiful and regular 

 systems, by which vre can comprehend, under a few terms, the 

 vast number of individual things, which would, otherwise, pre- 

 sent to our minds a confused and indiscriminate mass. This 

 power of the mind, so important in classification, is that of 

 discovering resemblances. We perceive two objects, we have an 

 idea of their resemblance, and we give a common name to 

 both ; other similar objects are then referred to the same class, 

 or receive the same name. A child sees a flower which he is 

 told is a rose ; he sees another resembling it, and nature teaches 

 him to c"all that, also, a rose. On this operation of tlic mind 



1 By tlie faculties of mind we examine the properties of matter. — 2. Power of tlif^ mind to form 

 classes. 



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