6 INTRODUCTION. 



is only described as growing in Switzerland. And farther 

 still, by finding that Mr. Miller describes two varieties of it, 

 which differ only in size, while you are left to conjecture 

 whether the one here figured is the larger or smaller ; and 

 how great the difference is. 



Farther, If you wish to know anything of the habits of the 

 plant, as well as its nine names, you are informed that it grows 

 both at the bottoms of the mountains, and the tops ; and that, 

 with us. it flowers in May and June, but you are not told 

 when, in its native country. 



The four lines of the last clause but one, may indeed be 

 useful to gardeners ; but although I know my good father 

 and mother did the best they could for me in buying this 

 beautiful book ; and though the admirable plates of it did 

 their work, and taught me much, I cannot wonder that neither 

 my infantine nor boyish mind was irresistibly attracted by the 

 text of which this page is one of the most favourable speci- 

 mens ; nor, in consequence, that my botanical studies were 

 when I had attained the age of fifty no farther advanced than 

 the reader will find them in the opening chapter of this book. 



Which said book was therefore undertaken, to put, if it 

 might be, some elements of the science of botany into a form 

 more tenable by ordinary human and childish faculties ; or 

 for I can scarcely say I have yet any tenure of it myself to 

 make the paths of approach to it more pleasant. In fact, I 

 only know, of it, the pleasant distant effects which it bears to 

 simple eyes ; and some pretty mists and mysteries, which I 

 invite my young readers to pierce, as they may, for themselves, 

 my power of guiding them being only for a little way. 



Pretty mysteries, I say, as opposed to the vulgar and ugly 

 mysteries of the so-called science of botany, exemplified suf- 

 ficiently in this chosen page. Respecting which, please ob- 

 serve farther; Nobody I can say this very boldly loves 

 Latin more dearly than I ; but, precisely because I do love 

 it (as well as for other reasons), I have always insisted that 

 books, whether scientific or not, ought to be written either in 

 Latin, or English ; and not in a doggish mixture of the refuse 

 of both. 



