INTRODUCTION. 21 



of whom many, no doubt, would be led to view 

 the same subject in the same light. 



The result of the investigations of these illustri- And mode 

 ous phytologists was first communicated to the pub- ga tion 

 lie towards the end of the seventeenth century ; ad P te 

 and it must be confessed that the success of their 

 labours made amends, in a great measure, for the 

 long neglect of preceding naturalists. For though 

 they had no tract to direct them in this obscure and 

 intricate investigation, yet by joining patience to 

 penetration, and experience to philosophy, and by 

 adopting the only sure means of detecting the 

 secrets of nature the experimental mode of in- 

 quiry exploring most scrupulously the internal and 

 recondite structure of the plant, and watching with 

 unwearied application the functions of the different 

 organs, they succeeded in removing much of that 

 veil which had enveloped the phenomena of vegeta- 

 tion ; and in opening up to the observation of man 

 a new view of the works of God. 



But the principles of the philosophy of Bacon, Concomi- 

 vvhich were thus so succesfully applied to phytology, ^ nt 



vancetnent 



were extended also to botany particularly on the of botan y 

 subject of arrangement and ground of generic dis- 

 tinction the necessity of which was now more than 

 ever indispensible for jthe purpose of reducing to order 

 the immense mass of particular specimens collected 

 and described by the increasing multitude of adven- 

 turers in the field of botanical discovery. Accord- 

 ingly, in pursuit of this important object, the talents 



