Wight's Illustrations of Indian Botany. 51 



library which would only require the addition of" Roxburgh's 

 Flora Indica" to be nearly complete. The cost of the four 

 books in question would we think hardly exceed 50 rupees, 

 while they might all be packed in a writing desk of ordinary 

 dimensions ; so that whoever desires to make himself acquaint- 

 ed with Indian plants in India, where the knowledge is of 

 most consequence, must be indebted to Dr. Wight for the 

 means of accomplishing his object. We regret to see a list 

 of subscribers to the " Icones" short of one hundred, even 

 including the 50 copies taken by the Madras Government. 

 This is perhaps owing to those only subscribing who have 

 the author's " Prodromus," but surely there is no reason 

 why we might not all have that work, while we could adduce 

 a thousand reasons to prove its value to every one desirous 

 of making himself acquainted with the plants of this country. 

 Even without the " Prodromus" we can conceive the " Icones" 

 would be highly useful, as with every number there is a 

 closely printed quarto page or two, containing the characters 

 of all the species figured. 



In the present number of the "Illustrations" the author 

 finishes the Leguminosce and reviews the Rosacece, Salica- 

 rice, Rhfaophorece, Combretaceoe, Memecylece, and Melasto- 

 macce, &c. pointing out whatever of importance in their uses, 

 or peculiar in their structure, that has fallen under his 

 observations. To this number we also find a preface 

 and introduction attached. In the first of these the author 

 points out the object of the work, and offers some judi- 

 cious observations on the advantage of the natural, over 

 the artificial arrangememt of plants : and in the second, the 

 author shows what the natural arrangement is at present in 

 regard to Botany. On this subject we are scarcely entitled 

 to form an opinion, but we congratulate Dr. Wight on his 

 successful labours in the investigation of natural affinities, 

 and trust that the support which the works in which he is 

 now engaged will meet within India, may promote his for- 

 tune as much as they are sure to raise him in the respect 



