248 Retrospective Criticism, 



lis is our S. Iatif61ia. I am preparing also a work on tliis genus, by seeds 

 smooth or hairy, rays few or many, (!v:c. 



+-i. yrisihidiiiM anifricanum Dcratidollc is my Xcgumlium (1808)/raxi- 

 ucum. \\ c have a second species in the west. 



4-3 Nyssr/. All called shruhs : they are all trees with us. 



44. C'iiciirl)itaria, name too like (^'nci'irhita. It is my Phial<')spora. 



4.5. My ficniis Phorima, 1814, for 7/oletiis, with irreiinlar cells, omitted; 

 and niany other genera of my pam[)hlet, 1814. [I'lccii dcs Dicoiivertes 



40. i'iper. " None out of tropics." Wrong : a species, P. leptostu- 

 chyum, found in Florida, lat. 28", by Mr. Ware; describetl by Nuttall. 



47. I have discovered and described thirty-four species ot Trillium (see 

 my Medical Flora) ; also 



48. .30 species and 100 varieties of native North Ameriean.grapas, in my 

 J\Icdical Flora and my monograph of our American vines. 



49. Many of our American botanical authors appear unknown to you, 

 Elliott's Flora of Sotithcrn Slates, Torrey's Flora of Xorthcrn Slates, Bige- 

 low's Flora liostoniaisis, Eaton's j\Ianual of American Botany, my Flora of 

 Louisiana, 1817; and many more. 



.50. At the conclusion of the work, nine genera are stated as not re- 

 ducible to natural orders. I iiave long investigated this subject, being a 

 follower of natural orders, and never could find yet a genus that I could not 

 refer to them ; because, whenever a genus cannot be united to others, it 

 must form the type of a family by itself. Thus, you have many orders in the 

 book with only one genus : these nine could have been used so just as well. 

 Indeed, DecandoUe has made an order of Cerato[)hyllum. 1 coulil state 

 the affinities of" all those mentioned, and the many errors in joining genera 

 to wrong orders, but this would leail too far. I merely invite your atten- 

 tion to my article Uniseina in Jlfedieal Flora, wherebv you will see that a 

 single species (rontederirt cordata of Linnieus) may happen to be the type 

 of not oidy a new genus, but a new family and new order, when the seed 

 and fruit are totally different from the genus to which the plant is wrongly 

 referred by the copyists of errors. Botany will never be |)ermanently fixed 

 until all errors are ex|)loded and corrected. I am, Sir, yours, &c. — 

 C. S. Haftnesqne, Professor of Botany and Xatnral JIistorj/,i.fc. Philadelphia, 

 Jan., 1831. 



Our very best thanks are due to Professor Rafincsquc for the above 

 most valuable corrections, additions, anri snguestions. — Cond. 



Afr.IIowden's I{e/)li/ to Air. Small (V'ol. VIII. p. 8,j.); with Remarks on 

 the Aletliod of training Vines at Doneraile. — Sir, I ()l)serve that a corre- 

 spondent, yclept Thomas Small, near the Church, Bexlcy, Kent (p.8o.), has 

 indulged his Irish wit, by giving me a raj) with his shiliela. lie hints that 

 my services at Doneraile gave l)nt iuditfcreut satisfaction, and that " the 

 cottage allowed me was probably as gooil as 1 deserved " Very good 

 logic this, at least very good Iri^,li logic; observe its counterpart: when 

 Thonuis Small worked journeyman garilener at Doneraile, in 1813, iiis 

 services gave but very indiHereut satisfaction, and the tenth part of a two 

 pound note, per week, was probably as much lus he deserved. Shanie, 

 shame on such wagis! From the same logic it mav be inferred that I 

 richly deserve the superb cottage which I now occupv, with all its internal 

 blessings ; but this, 1 think, wouhl be the height of presumption, as I 

 should never have thought of l)uilding such a grand one lor myself: but as 

 it is an ajipendage to a mansion residence, I feel iiighly honoured in the 

 occupation of it. 1 never meant to insult the Irish peasantry ; 1 should 

 be sorry to insult the Hottentot in his hut : but 1 shall always endeavour 

 to make the Irish aristocracy ashamed of themselves. I have nothing to 

 say disrespectful to the present Lord Doneraile : according to Mr. llay- 

 croIVs account he gives the average wages of Ireland or England; viz. bs. 



