480 ON SPECIES 



and as the Henslow diagrams will be the great engine of 

 instruction for schools, ladies, parsons and the like, it would 

 meo sensu be most unwise of B. to have ignored them or 

 adopted any new-fangled ones. I hate and despise the 

 whole English system both for ordinal and generic names. 

 You know how difficult it is to get any really good books 

 put into Govt. circulation, and it would be a most serious 

 drawback to the good Bentham's would do were he not 

 to make his uniform with the system in vogue. These 

 things are trifles to us, but terminology is a serious affair 

 to the classes the book is intended for ; so whatever you 

 do, do not put Bentham off using anihs. I advised say- 

 ing Kanunculaceae Kanunculus family, and in brackets 

 (Eanunculanths) after. 



To Asa Gray 



January 2, 1858. 



Yours of the 19th has just arrived and gratified me very 

 much. I am, I need not tell you, in the habit of saying at 

 least as much as I think, when I have fault to make or find, 

 for I hate to let it be supposed that I have held back any 

 growl, or grudge, or stone of offence in hat or pocket. 



I am glad that you have taken up the Balanophoreae 

 matter and that of high and low specialization. I hope you 

 note that I do not commit myself to the theory of perfection 

 being expressed by consolidation, but state all hypothetical^. 

 I wish I could see my way clearly through the maze of high 

 and low amongst Dicotyledonous Exogens. Formerly I felt 

 inclined to exalt Tiliaceae, Malvaceae and Euphorbiaceae, 

 and to assume as the highest type of flower that which has 

 (1) complete series of whorls ; (2) those whorls all distinct 

 from one another ; (3) each whorl being of numerous 

 members ; (4) each member being highly specialized ; (5) 

 each carpel to contain many perfect ovules and albuminous 

 dicot. seeds ; thus in short returning to DC. Still the 

 question remains, is a large imperfect group to be placed 

 at the top of the vegetable ladder because one or a few 

 of its members presents these attributes in greater degree 

 than any other vegetable does ? this cannot be conceded, 

 and so the whole fabric falls to the ground. Destroy all 

 Euphorbs, except the monandrous genus Euphorbia, and 

 all clue to its affinities and rank are lost. We must there- 



