tlerherfs Amaryllidacece. 271 



through such a mass of undefined and undefinable matter are 

 only heaping up insuperable difficulties on every side, from 

 which they will never be able to extricate themselves. But, 

 in thus combating the Jussieuan system, and the various in- 

 effectual attempts which have been made, from time to time, to 

 fix it on a firm and immutable basis, he disclaims entertaining 

 the most distant idea of polemic discussion; but, from a firm 

 conviction of its untenableness, " to consider dispassionately how 

 a satisfactory arrangement can be made, ard to lend my humble 

 aid to those who are more competent to effect it." These as- 

 sertions are fully borne out by subsequent facts. Mr. Herbert 

 gives his unqualified praise to the ingenuity and perseverance of 

 the distinguished cultivators of botanical science, " who are thus 

 feeling their way in the dark ; " yet he fully maintains that the 

 system is so entirely artificial, and " repugnant to nature," that 

 every attempt to modify it serves only to make " darkness 

 visible." Gardeners are aware, that on the relative position of 

 the stamens rests the fundamental principles of the Jussieuan 

 system generally, but more particularly in the first grand divi- 

 sion of it. In relation to this fact, the author observes, " I am 

 at a loss to conceive in what manner it can possibly be substan- 

 tiated, that the position of the stamens adopted by Jussieu is a 

 more natural feature of classification than their number, by 

 which Linnaeus was guided in most of his classes. They are 

 evidently facts of like nature, and deserve about equal weight." 

 It will thus be seen that the author intends relying entirely on 

 his own resources, in sketching out what he clearly shows to be 

 a more natural and practical arrangement of botany. He does 

 not, however, "feel himself competent to enter into all the 

 details of this arrangement ; " but " merely to point out the fun- 

 damental errors of the existing system, and the mode by which, 

 according to his view, a better must be constructed." Whoever 

 wishes to be fully acquainted with the author's view of the im- 

 perfections of the existing system, and the mode of proceeding 

 by which he would have a more natural system established, 

 must necessarily consult the work itself, and follow the author 

 through the labyrinth of his forcible and lucid objections : suffice 

 it to remark here, that the "fundamental errors" are made so 

 apparent and self-evident as to carry conviction of their exist- 

 ence at first sight. Yet, as far as gardeners of the present day 

 are concerned, it must be acknowledged that their botanical and 

 physiological knowledge is so far deficient as to preclude them, 

 in a great measure, from fully appreciating the philosophical 

 views of the author relative to this subject. It is not at all im- 

 probable but this work may be the forerunner and cause of an 

 entire revolution in the arrangement of natural affinities in the 

 vegetable kingdom ; and, therefore, all gardeners who desire to 



