Periodical Works on Natural Historij. 299 



last that of 1 8 1 4. That very many additions were made to our 

 British Flora during these twenty-four years, it is quite unne- 

 cessary to point out. (In the sister department of entomo- 

 logy, the new discoveries, during the same space of time, 

 must have been far more numerous.) The botanical mine is 

 still inexhausted, as new plants are constantly being added to 

 our indigenous list; and these accessions, since the period of 

 1 8 1 4, are now found to be sufficient in number to form a sup- 

 plement to the above work, which, every British botanist must 

 rejoice to know, has already been commenced. 



The last advantage I shall mention, as attending the pe- 

 riodical mode of publication, is, that it enhances, if I mistake 

 not, the pleasure which the purchaser derives from the work 

 he takes in, and serves to keep up his interest in it. Count 

 Rumford is said to have recommended, in some cases, the use 

 of tough meat in preference to tender, on the ground that it 

 ^prolonged the 'pleasure of eating. Without going the length 

 which the philosopher did in this instance, I certainly think 

 the quantum of enjoyment we experience from the sort of 

 works now under consideration, is greatly increased by their 

 being dealt out to us piecemeal, and at intervals. Few per- 

 sons like to have the whole of their dinner, fish, meat, and 

 pudding, heaped on their plate at once ; nor do I, for my part, 

 like to see, on a journey, ten or twenty miles of road before 

 me, in a uniform, monotonous, straight line, as Mr. Telford 

 would have us. These things are somewhat appalling ; and, in 

 the one case, would be enough to take away one's appetite, and 

 in the other to damp one's ardour for travelling — for travel- 

 ling, at least, for pleasure. Six and thirty volumes (to have 

 recourse again to English Botany for an example) coming upon 

 one in a body would, perhaps, be equally overpowering ; the 

 mind would be bewildered, and at a loss almost to decide 

 what portions of the work to examine first ; and certainly the 

 whole has much better chance of being perused and tho- 

 roughly digested, when presented to us at stated intervals, in 

 the form of periodical numbers. Then, too, there is the plea- 

 sure o^ anticipation : there is something exceedingly agreeable 

 in looking forward to the first of the month for the arrival of a 



new fasciculus of Flora , or Illustrations of , or the 



next Number, Mr. Editor, of your Magazine. A high degree 

 of interest is excited by speculating what new or curious sub- 

 jects will next be introduced to us, or what old acquaintances 

 we may expect to meet with, correctly described and figured, 

 and illustrated, perhaps, with much additional information. 



Such, as it appears to me, are among the advantages of the 



X 2 



