xv INTRODUCTION. 



fresh impulse given to the pursuit in 1789 

 by Jussieu's Genera Plantarum. It is a 

 consequence of this renewed progress that 

 the modern world has come to regard the 

 system of Linnaeus as an artificial classi- 

 fication. This view is not scientifically in- 

 correct, but neither is it historically just. 

 A system which throws the Umbelliferse 

 into such company as those of the rest 

 of Pentandria is certainly artificial. But 

 the wonder is that under this artificial 

 classification the natural grouping should 

 be so exceedingly prevalent, and that where 

 incongruities occur, their very boldness in- 

 dicates by how small a movement the error 

 may be righted. For the Linnaean sys- 

 tem leads to no confusing intricacies of 

 error, it teaches very little that has to be 

 unlearnt, and where a first-rate instructor 

 is not at the learner's side, the Linnaean 

 system is still practically the best intro- 

 duction to Botany. But it is more to our 

 purpose to observe that Linnaeus by a sound 

 nomenclature supplied the first necessary 

 condition of all durable progress whatever. 

 The system of binomial nomenclature as 



