INTRODUCTION. 



countries respectively, and, in short, to all parts of the world ; 

 thus contributing almost imperceptibly, but yet most powerfully, 

 to the progress and equalisation of civilisation and of happiness. 



It must be interesting to the philosopher and the philanthro- 

 pist, to know the precise position in which we stand relatively 

 to this kind of interchange of natural productions. Much as has 

 been done within the last century, there is reason to believe, 

 from the number of countries unexplored, that this department 

 of the civilisation of the great human family is yet in its infancy. 

 Hence, in a work like the present, which professes to be a 

 general history of the trees already in, or suitable for being in- 

 troduced into, Great Britain, it seems desirable to commence with 

 a general view of all other countries with reference to those trees 

 which they contain which have been already introduced, or 

 which, though we do not yet possess, we may expect to obtain 

 and establish. This, therefore, will form Part I. of our Work; 

 and we trust it will be found of considerable interest, by direct- 

 ing the attention of botanical collectors, travellers, and persons 

 resident abroad, to specific objects of research. 



In carrying this intention into effect, we shall commence by 

 taking a general view of the trees and shrubs which were known 

 to the ancients ; we shall next give an enumeration of those 

 which are indigenous to the British Islands ; after which we shall 

 treat of the introduction of foreign trees and shrubs into Britain, 

 from the earliest records up to the end of the year 1834-, the 

 period at which this Work was commenced. 



Having thus discussed the history of the trees and shrubs, 

 native and foreign, of the British Islands, we shall next give a 

 similar view of the indigenous and introduced trees and shrubs 

 of all those other countries which possess, either by geography 

 or altitude, climates in any degree analogous to that of Britain. 

 This part of the Work will be concluded by a chapter on the 

 literature of the trees and shrubs of temperate climates ; in 

 which the principal works which have appeared on the subject, 

 both in Europe and America, will be enumerated. 



The next division of our Work, Part II., will be devoted to 

 the science of the study of trees. In this part, trees will be 

 considered in all their various relations to nature and art. They 

 will be considered as component parts of the general scenery of 

 a country ; in regard to the expression and character of parti- 

 cular kinds; in regard to the mode of delineating them pictorially, 

 and of describing them popularly and botanically. They will 

 also be considered with reference to uncultivated nature, to cul- 

 tivated nature, and to man. This part will conclude with a sum- 

 mary of particulars to be taken into consideration, in preparing the 

 description and natural and economical history of trees and 

 shrubs, which are to follow as the third part of this Work. 



