Notice of a Flora of North America. 275 



all the fluctuations and calamities of life cannot deprive him. 

 Other sources of happiness, as circumstances change and age ad- 

 vances, will pass away. But, a genuine attachment to nature 

 clinging to the heart will buoy it up, when the powers begin to 

 fail, and the floods of afiliction to roll over us ; and like the vol- 

 cano surrounded by polar snows, the flame will seem more bright 

 and beautiful amid the frosts of age. FIcec studia adolescentiam 

 alutit, senectutem. ohlectant, secundas res ornant, adversis perfu- 

 giwnac solatium p7'fBbe7it ; delectant domi, 7ion impediunt foi'is ; 

 pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur. (Cicero, Orat. 

 pro Archia.) 



Gentlemen, in these remarks I am confident that I am descri- 

 bing your own experience. For this love of nature, and not 

 governmental or individual patronage, has been your chief stim- 

 ulant in geological research. Should that patronage, which is 

 now extended to your efforts, be withdrawn, — of which I have 

 little fear, — and should the tide of popular favor turn against 

 you, I know that you will not, therefore, be diverted from your 

 favorite pursuit. No : let us rather pledge ourselves to more vig- 

 orous efforts in this noble enterprise, which has already done 

 so much, and is destined to do much more, to develop the re- 

 sources of our beloved country ; so much to awaken youthful 

 genius ; so much to promote our personal happiness ; so much to 

 enlarge the boundaries of science ; and, above all, so much to un- 

 fold the glories and illustrate the perfections of the Infinite 

 Deity. 



Art. III. — Notice of a Flora of North America; by John Torre y, 

 M. D., F. L. S. &c., and Asa Gray, M. D. &c. Vol. II, Part 1. 

 May, 1841. New York : Wiley & Putnam. 



Three years have now elapsed since the commencement of 

 this truly national work, of which the first volume was completed 

 in the past summer. The fifth number, being the first of the 

 second volume, is now before us, and in presenting our readers 

 with a brief analysis of its contents, we do not pretend to do 

 justice to the work itself — not even to the portion of it more 

 immediately under consideration, the value of which will only 

 be adequately appreciated by the scientific botanist. It may 



