INTRODUCTION. 15 



The study of nature, in any of her forms, is highly interesting and 

 useful. But the heavenly bodies are far distant from us ;— and were 

 they within our reach, are too mighty for us to grasp , our feeble 

 minds seem overwhelmed in the contemplation of their immensity. 



Animals, though affording the most striking marks of designing 

 wisdom, cannot be dissected and examined without painful emotions. 



But the vegetable world offers a boundless field of inquiry, which 

 may be explored with the most pure and delightful emotions. Here 

 the Almighty seems to manifest himself to us, with less of that daz- 

 zUng sublimity which it is almost painful to behold in His more mag 

 nificent creations; and it would seem, that accommodating the 

 vegetable world to our capacities of observation, He had especially 

 designed it for our investigation and amusement, as well as our sus- 

 tenance and comfort. 



The study of Botany naturally leads to greater love and reverence 

 for the Deity. We would not aifirm, that it does in reality always 

 produce tliis effect ; for, unhappily, there are some minds which, 

 though quick to perceive the beauties of nature, seem blindly to over- 

 look Him who spread them forth. They can admire the gifts, while 

 they forget the giver. But those who feel in their hearts a love to God, 

 and who see in the natural world the workings of His power, can look 

 abroad, and adopting the language of a christian poet, exclaim, 

 " My father made them all." 



Division of the Lectures. 



Having endeavoured to convince you that the study you are about 

 to commence, is recommended by its own intrinsic utility, and espe- 

 cially by its tendency to strengthen the understanding and improve 

 the heart, we will now present you with the arrangement which we 

 propose to follow. 



We will divide our course of study into Four Parts, viz. : 

 Part I. Will be chiefly devoted to teaching the Analysis of Plants, 



or lessons in Practical Botany. 

 Part II. We shall here consider the various organs of the plant, be- 

 ginning with the root and ascending to the flower ; this part will 

 include what is usually termed Elementary Botany ; it will also 

 contain remarks upon the uses of the various organs of plants, 

 the nature of vegetable substances, and other circumstances 

 connected with Vegetable Physiology. 

 Part III. In this part we shall consider the different systems of Bot- 

 any. We shall examine some of the most important Natural 

 families; and then proceed to give a detailed view of the Lin- 

 n<2an System ; remarking upon some of the most interesting gen- 

 era and natural famihes found under each class and order. 

 Part IV. In this part we shall consider the Progressive appearance 

 of Flowers during the season of blossoming; their various phe- 

 nomena produced by the different states of the atmosphere, light, 

 &c. ; and their geographical distribution. After giving a Hi«tory 

 of the progress of botanical science, we shall, in a general view 

 of Nature, consider the distinction between organized and unor- 

 ganized matter, with their analogies and contrasts. 



Heavenly bodies— Animals— Study of the vegetable world — The study of Botany 

 ♦ends to piety.— pivision of the subject mio four parts — I. Practical Botany— II. Ve- 



fetable Physiology— III. Systematic Botany — IV. Various phenomena o| Plaata» 

 listory of Botany, and General Views of Nature. 



