208 



CLASSIFICATION 



the greatest difficulties, he planned and accomplished more 

 than all his predecessors, and his works which remain at this 

 day unrivalled, will probably long continue unequalled. The 

 number, situation, and proportion of the stamens v/ere the 

 foundation of his primary divisions. These organs, so con- 

 stant, so essential to the completion of the flower, so neces- 

 sary for the preservation of the vegetable kingdom, were 

 happily selected to furnish each of his Classes with an obr 

 vious inmiutable character. The Orders into which his 

 classes are subdivided, are established on a basis equally 

 constant, on the number and situation of the pistils, or on 

 some other circumstance equally obvious and invariable. A 

 Genus is a subdivision of an order, and includes such plants 

 as agree with each other in the form and situation of their 

 flowers and fruits. A Species consists of such as agree 

 in these particulars, but differ in the form of their root, stem, 

 leaves, and other parts. 



A remark, which has sometimes been made to the preju- 

 dice of the study of Botany, is, that it is a mere nomencla- 

 ture, tending only to burden the memory with an immense 

 list of names, without imparting to the student any degree 

 of real and useful knowledge. But is it a small gratifica- 

 tion, or of small importance, to be enabled to distinguish, 

 at first sight, the productions of the vegetable kingdom, and 

 to refer them to their proper classes, families, and stations? 

 The disadvantages resulting from the neglect of this study, 

 are seldom more seriously felt than in the perusal of those 

 narratives of voyages and travels, which are now so profuse- 

 ly published. In passing through countries which have 

 seldom been visited, it is in the highest degree desirable, 

 that the adventurer should be able to avail himself of the 

 opportunities afforded him, so as to render his labours of 

 substantial service to mankind : but how is this to be effected, 

 unless he be previously furnished with suflficient knowledge 

 to distinguish those natural productions which it may be 

 thought important either to procure or describe 1 For want 

 of this knowledge, which v/ould enable him to acquaint us 

 in two words with the name of any known plant, and to re- 

 fer to its proper station every one which is unknown, we have 

 endless descriptions of unknown and surprising vegetables, 

 which either give us no precise idea, or by a long and cir- 

 cuitous track, enable us at length to recognise an old and 



