X PREFACE. 



all moral feeling : — without insisting upon all these topics 

 in favour of the study of Botany, we believe, that if this 

 branch of knowledge be pursued, in reference to, and in con- 

 nection with Natural Theology, that Botany at once, like 

 other branches of Natural History, then rises into high 

 importance. The student who traces the wisdom of the 

 Almighty in the works of creation, can never be said to be 

 alone. He who rambles into the fields to scan and examine 

 the works of creation with a cheerful curiosity, chastised 

 by lowly piety, ever keeping in view the Great Creator and 

 Mighty Contriver of All, cannot be ill-employed. "The pro- 

 found researches," observes Sir James Edward Smith, 

 *' of grammarians, the taste and erudition of critics, the 

 sublime efforts of poets, justly demand and receive the 

 homage of the world. They are conversant with the 

 whole scope of human conception, and of intellectual 

 power. But the Naturalist traces, in all humility, the 

 counsels of the Eternal Mind. The laws, the principles, 

 which he studies, are of Divine origin. While he dis- 

 criminates or combines his ideas, he catches glimpses of 

 Infinite Wisdom, and there is no boundary to his attain- 

 ments, but the imperfection of his own nature. The 

 study of language embraces all that ever has been, or can 

 be communicated from one human mind to another ; but, 

 the study of Nature, like that of Truth and Virtue, leads 

 man to acquaint himself with God." " And, in a moral 

 view" observes Paley, " I shall not, I believe, be contra- 

 dicted, when I say, that if one train of thinking be more 

 desirable than another, it is that which regards the phe- 

 nomena of Nature with a constant reference to a Supreme, 

 Intelligent Author. To have made this the ruling, 



