INTRODUCTION. XVll 



The term Method was in use when 

 System was unknown equally as a word and 

 as" a thing ; and therefore the word could 

 not at the time have held the adversative 

 position here assigned to it. But the reader 

 will perhaps excuse this harmless violence 

 if it may perhaps help us to follow the 

 condition of botanical studies in the ages 

 to which our Name-hsts belong. 



I. The earliest instruments of Method 

 were two, namely Comparative Description, 

 and Synonymy: and these must be severally 

 considered in their historical order. 



I. The first part of the old Method was 

 the Description. Now Description in mo- 

 dern Botany is a great scientific agency. 

 The technology is so exact and incisive 

 and fine, that the characteristics are con- 

 veyed to the mind of all botanists with un- 

 varying uniformity and certainty. But this 

 technology has been gradually developed 

 during the last two centuries, and its fine 

 edge is largely due to Linnaeus. Previous 

 description rested chiefly upon comparison 

 with some well-known plant. At first the 

 description of the botanist differed little 



