CHANGING NAMES. 293 



even between good and bad ones of any date. A 

 botanist who, by the strength of his own superior 

 knowledge and authority, reforms and elucidates a 

 whole tribe of plants hitherto in confusion, as a Hed- 

 wig in Mosses, or Acharius in Lichens, ought to be 

 unshackled in every point in whicli he can be of ser- 

 vice. His wisdom will be evinced by extreme caution 

 and reserve in using his liberty with respect to new 

 naittes, but more especially new terms ; and, after all, 

 he will be amenable to the general tribunal of bota- 

 nists, and the judgement of those who come after 

 him. Few indeed are illustrious enough to claim such 

 privileges as these. Those who alter names, often for 

 the worse, according to arbitrary rules of their own, 

 or in order to aim at consequence which they cannot 

 otherwise attain, are best treated with silent neglect. 

 The system should not be encumbered with such 

 names, even as synonyms. 



When, however, solid discoveries and improvements 

 are made in the science ; when species or genera have 

 been confounded by Linnaeus himself, and new ones 

 require to be separated from them, the latter must 

 necessarily receive appropriate appellations ; as also 

 when a totally wrong and absurd name has by mistake 

 been given, as Begonia capensis. In such cases names 

 must give place to things, and alterations proceeding 

 from such causes must be submitted to. Thus I believe 

 Mr. Salisbury has well divided Nymph <ea. See Annals 

 of Botany, v. 2. 71 ; also Engl. Bot. t. 



