BOTANICAL WORK OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 463 



necessary antagonism between the old and the new studies. Tims I 

 have heard a distinguished systematist describe the microscope as a 

 curse, and a no less distinguished morphologist speak of a herbarium 

 having its proper place on a bonfire. To me I confess this anathema- 

 tization of the instruments of research proper to any branch of our 

 subject is not easily intelligible. Yet in the case of Darwin himself it 

 is certain that if his earlier work may be said to rest solely ou the 

 older methods, his later researches take their place with the work of 

 the new school. At our last meeting Pfeffer vindicated one of his 

 latest and most important observations. 



The case of Robert Brown is even more striking. He is equally great 

 whether we class him with the older or the modern school. In fact, so 

 far as botany in this country is concerned, he may be regarded as the 

 founder of the latter. It is to him that we owe the establishment of 

 the structure of the ovule and its development into the seed. Even 

 more important were the discoveries to which I have already referred, 

 which ultimately led to the establishment of the group of Gymnosperms. 

 "ISTo more important discovery," says Sachs (History, 142), "was ever 

 made in the domain of comparative morphology and systematic botany. 

 The first steps toward this result, which was clearly brought out by 

 Hofmeister twenty-five years later, were secured by Robert Brown's 

 researches, and he was incidentally led to these researches by some 

 difficulties in the construction of the seed of an Australian genus." 

 Yet it may be remembered that he began his career as naturalist to 

 Flinders's expedition for the exploration of Australia. He returned to 

 England with 4,000 "for the most part new species of plants." And 

 these have formed the foundation of our knowledge of the flora of that 

 continent. Brown's chief work was done between 1820 and 1840, aud, 

 as Sachs (loc. cit., 139, 140) tells us, " was better appreciated during 

 that time in Germany than in any other country." 



MODERN SCHOOL. 



The real founder of the modern teaching in this country in both 

 branches of biology I can not doubt was Carpenter. The first edition 

 of liis admirable Principles of Comparative Physiology was published 

 in 1838, the last in 1854. All who owe, as I do, a deep debt of gratitude 

 to that book will agree with Huxley (Memorial Sketch, 67) in regard- 

 ing it as "by far the best general survey of the whole field of life and 

 of the broad principles of biology which had been produced up to the 

 time of its publication. Indeed," he adds, " although the fourth edition 

 is now in many respects out of date, I do not know its equal for breadtb 

 of view, sobriety of speculation, and accuracy of detail." 



The charm of a wide and philosophic survey of the different forms 

 under which life presents itself could not but attract the attention of 

 teachers. Rolleston elaborated a course of instruction in zoology at 

 Oxford in which the structures described in the lecture room were 



