Catalogue of Works on Gardening, &)'c. 377 



nant with satisfaction, interest, and happiness, as the associations that cling to 

 a happy home." 



" To make us feel, appreciate, and relish whatever pleasures our existence 

 is capable of affording, delicacy and purity of mind and heart, and health of 

 body, are the most indispensable requisites. But, above all, let us strive to 

 improve our mind ; for to insure our happiness against every possible vicissi- 

 tude, we must endeavour to create for ourselves enjoyments always at our 

 command, in whatever circumstances we may be placed." 



The work may be read with profit and pleasure. 



An Inaugural Lecture 07i Botany, coiisidered as a Science, and as a Branch of 

 Medical Education. Read in King's College, London, May Sth, 1843. By 

 Edward Forbes, F. L. S., F. B. 8., Professor of Botany in King's College, 

 London. Pamph. 8vo, pp. 23. London, ISi-S. 



A highly philosophical discourse, in which botany is viewed in its relations 

 to medicine ; and to a certain extent to agriculture, chemistry, zoology and 

 geology; and justice is done to the memory of Linnaeus. " In saying these 

 few words in favour of the Linnaean system, I know I am pleading an unpo- 

 pular cause ; but I speak out freely, partly because I mean to proceed on a 

 different basis in conducting the botanical studies here, and partly because, 

 after the once over-enthusiastic attachment to the Linnaean method which 

 prevailed so long in Britain, and which was carried so far as to impede the 

 progress of botany, a reaction has taken place which threatens to blind the 

 eyes of the younger botanists to the merits of a device which was, and ever 

 will be, a most valuable auxiliary of the science." 



Manual of British Botany, containing the Flowering Plants and Ferns, arranged 

 according to the Natural Orders. By Charles C. Babington, M.A., F.L.S., 

 G.S., &c. Small 8vo, pp. 400. London, 1843. 



There are already so many British floras that we were curious to know 

 on what grounds Mr. Babington has added to their number. He himself 

 says, he could not expect that after the labours of Smith, Hooker, Lindley, 

 and others, and the publication of so invaluable and unrivalled a collection of 

 figures as is contained in Sowerby's English Botany, there could be many 

 questions left undetermined. " He had not however advanced far in the 

 critical examination of our native plants before he found that a careful com- 

 parison of indigenous specimens with the works of eminent Continental 

 authors, and with plants obtained from other parts of Europe, must neces- 

 sarily be made ; for it appeared that in very many cases the nomenclature 

 employed in England was different from that used in other countries, that 

 often plants considered as varieties here were held to be distinct species 

 abroad, that several of our species v/ere only looked upon as varieties by 

 them, and also that the mode of grouping into genera was frequently es- 

 sentially different. 



" The discovery of these facts produced considerable astonishment, and the 

 author was led to consider what could have been the causes of so remarkable 

 a discrepancy. The following appears to be the most probable explanation. 

 It is well known that at the close of the last century Sir J. E. Smith became 

 the fortunate possessor of the Herbarium of Linnaeus, and was thus enabled 

 to ascertain, with very considerable accuracy, the British species which were 

 known to that distinguished man, and to publish, in the most in)proved form 

 that he had given to his system, a remarkably complete and excellent Flora 

 of Britain. Then followed the long-continued separation of this country 

 from Fiance, and indeed from most of the European nations, by which we 

 were almost completely prevented from observing the progress which bo- 

 tanical science was making in other countries, and at the same time our own 

 flora was continually receiving accessions of new plants which it was nearly 

 impossible to identify with the species detected and published in France and 

 Germany. At the conclusion of the v/ar we had become so wedded to the 



