284 REVIEWS. 



and intellectual dispositions necessary in botanical work, and 

 asks the question what manner of men botanists are or ought 

 to be. As their pursuits do not lead to fortune, and profes- 

 sorships are neither numerous nor well paid, he concludes 

 that botany is just the science for disinterested people to 

 prosecute from pure love of knowledge and the pleasure of 

 discovering something new ; that it does not deal with ques- 

 tions of a very high order, nor require very difficult or abso- 

 lutely rigorous reasoning. The faculties which it brings into 

 requisition are the spirit of observation and of order, sagacity, 

 and a certain good sense in the appreciation of facts ; that, if 

 it does not shine with great eclat, at least the faults of its 

 cultivators are not likely to harm any one ; that, equally with 

 the other sciences, it tends to elevation of character in that it 

 requires an ardent love of truth, reposing as it does upon the 

 idea that the veracity of its cultivators is absolutely complete. 

 He concludes : " Les sciences jouent dans le monde le role 

 d'une ecole practique de bonne foi. D'apres ces reflexions, 

 il est permis de penser que les botanistes sont ordinairement 

 et devraient etre toujours des hommes paisibles, inoffensifs, 

 indulgent pour les erreurs de leur confreres, et occupes bien 

 plus de l'avancement de la science que de leurs interets ou de 

 leurs petites glorioles. . . . Ne nous arretons pas cependant 

 sur de rares exceptions. La presque totalite des botanistes 

 est penetree du sentiment de la justice et des convenances. 

 On en trouverait difficilement un seul qui ne reconniit le 

 principe fondamental de ne pas faire a autrui ce qu'on ne 

 voudrait j^as qui vous fut fait." 



Still, our author continues, sometimes the perfectly honest 

 and right-minded botanist may have failings. He may, for 

 example, neglect to cite his predecessors, or cite them inex- 

 actly, either from negligence (not to speak of calculated omis- 

 sions, which show want of honesty and soon bring down 

 reprobation), or from the want of literary resources. The 

 latter case may be deemed a misfortune, and no fault. But, 

 our author rejoins, if he has not the necessary books within 

 his reach, why not go where they are and consult them ? Or 

 if unable to do that, why need he publish ? 



