PRErac f 
Tue utility of this undertaking at a crifis, when the tafte for Botanical purfuits fo univerfally prevails, 
will, it is prefumed, be readily admitted by all thofe engaged in them, whether as theorifts, colletors, 
or cultivators. Such a work, under the immediate direction of fome principal leader in the fcience, 
of this country, has been a defideratum of long expe€tance; but either from the great expence ne- 
ceffarily incurred, before any adequate return could be made, or from the trouble attendant on publi- 
cations, where colouring forms fo confiderable a part, as yet, every fimilar attempt has proved abortive. 
The Bot. Mag. of Mr. Curtis, a work of fingular merit in its way, has occafionally furnithed, it is 
true, a few {pecimens of new plants; but the greateft part, as its title-page indicates, confifts of thofe 
well known, common plants, long cultivated in our gardens; the direét reverfe of the propofals and 
intentions of the author, in the profecution of this. From a with to prevent confufion, it was a 
determined principle at the outfet of the work, not to give any generic or fpecific fynonims; but to. 
follow the moft generally accepted names, of known and named plants, without a cavil, of our a 
Englith botanifts, or cultivators, if no flagrant error was perceptible, according to the Linnean fyf- 
tem: being fatisfied, nothing contributed fo much to reprefs the ardour of young botanifts as the 
difficulty of affixing the right name to thofe plants, which, (from a captious defire in every publither, 
to foift in fomething of his own coinage, upon the moft trifling fuppofed difference,) have undergone 
feveral changes of title, If the plant was a certain novelty, with us, to have followed the fexual, 
fyftem, without a fchifm; upon that truly grand and comprehenfive feale of nature; when. the — 
formation of a new genus was neceflary; if not, to refer it to fome one already made, if fach was 
to be found, in any orthodox author: the fpecific name to be formed from fome oppofed, leading 
feature, in the habits of the different fpecies of the genus. But although fuch were the Author's 
intentions, when he entered on this bufinefs, yet, from a with to oblige many of the fupporters of 
the work, who have fignified a with that fynonims fhould be given, an alphabetical Index, with 
all the various Synonims collated from the beft authorities, fhall be printed feparate for the — of 
thofe who may with for fuch an addition. 
As a fair excufe for the Author, (who throws himfelf upon the candour of the Public,) in exte- 
nuation of the inaccuracies which have, and will neceffarily occur in the profecution of the work, 
it is juft to fay, that the difficulties to be encountered, and of which none but thofe engaged in 
fimilar concerns can form any adequate idea, are incalculable; arifing chiefly from the nature of a 
monthly publication, compofed entirely of novelty, which cannot be anticipated, and of courfe, fo 
very little time can be allotted for revifal or correction. To remedy as far as poflible fuch me a litt | 
of Errate will be given, with the Index, at the clofe of each volume. 
Kyicutspripge, O&. 1799. 
