64 



MAGNOLIA. — MAGNOLIA. 



Natural order, Coadunatce. Magnolice, Juss, 

 A genus of the Polyandria Polygynia class. 



" Columbus shew'd 



The western world to man." 



If we except the general deluge and the 

 origin of Christianity, the discovery of Ame- 

 rica may be considered the most important 

 event that has been recorded since the cre- 

 ation of the world. It has discovered to us 

 an immense territory of land ; a people whose 

 habits and minds were new to us ; it ex- 

 hibited unknown animals, and afforded us 

 vegetables no less novel than numerous. It 

 has had the effect of a new creation ; new 

 wants have arisen, and new inventions have 

 sprung up to gratify them. 



" Then commerce brought into the public walk 

 The busy merchant ; the big warehouse built ; 

 Raised the strong crane ; choak'd up the loaded street 

 With foreign plenty ; and thy stream, O Thames ! 

 Large, gentle, deep, majestic, king of floods ! 

 Chose for his grand resort" Thomson 



