1858.] REVIEWS. 659 



be delighted to see that his opinion of the work is justified by 

 that of the reviewer in the pages of the ' Critic,^ 



4. "How Plants Grow; a simple introduction to Structure 

 Botany, with a Popular Flora." — We take exceptions to the term 

 "popular," as being a meaningless claptrap. Everybody tries 

 to construct and to compose his work in such a manner as that 

 it may be read, relished, or used by the greatest number of 

 readers possible. Some affect to despise the vulgus profanum, 

 turbam porcinam, or in plain English, "the unshaven and un- 

 taught ;" but they do not despise the halfcrowns and shillings 

 from the greasy jacket-pocket, nor the praise of the readers of 

 books, belonging to mechanics^ institutes. The term "popular," in 

 our mind, takes the complexion of an insult to the understanding 

 of a working man. Are we to have one style for the beau monde 

 and another for the canaille ? The humble man, or the man of 

 humble degree or of low caste, as they speak, who mean to insult 

 the labouring classes, would rather read up than read down. He 

 would make an effort to apprehend the language of his betters ; 

 he would not thank the author who had so mean an opinion of 

 his ability as to treat him to an intellectual slipslop, that a sen- 

 sible man would not set before his children. It is a great mis- 

 take to imagine that those whom the learned, in their ignorance 

 and self-sufficiency, call the uneducated classes, will condescend 

 to learn from these readings made easy. Dr. Gray^s ^Popular 

 Flora' is only a sample of a popular Flora, or a specimen of the 

 way in which the knowledge of the structure, physiology, etc., 

 of plants is to be used. We wish the Doctor and his coadjutor, 

 or some coadjutor or some botanist as well acquainted with Ame- 

 rican plants, would complete the American Flora so auspiciously 

 begun many years ago. 



We honestly recommend the ' Critic ' to our readers, because 

 its critical articles are not written in a snappish, waspish tone, 

 but are as much distinguished for courtesy and geniality as for 

 good taste and literary ability. 



The Friend, Tenth Month, 1858. 



This number contains an account of the Mammoth trees of 

 California. We suppose they are so called from their gigantic 



