Prodromus Systematis Nat. Regni Vegetabilis t §e. 355 



to the working Botanist, as it brought together materials 

 which lay scattered through many volumes, although it must 

 be confessed that the compiler has, in many instances, been 

 guilty of great carelessness, several books and monographs 

 having been overlooked, and even in some of those which he 

 has consulted, there exist descriptions of species which have 

 been quite neglected. Four numbers of a third volume have 

 just been received by us, and sorry we are that we have no- 

 thing to say in their favour. While the work brought up De 

 Candolle's leeway, it was, indeed, most useful ; but the suc- 

 cess attending that portion has led the author to run ahead 

 of the " Prodromus," and the consequence is, that he has 

 gone beyond his depth. The principal orders which the 

 third volume contains, are Solanaceae, Scrophulariniae, and 

 Labiatae, the whole of which are very nearly transcripts of 

 the monographs of Dunal and Bentham on these tribes. 



The two volumes, the 8th and the 9th of the " Prodro- 

 mus," which it is our intention more particularly to notice, 

 have only lately appeared. The work is now carried on by 

 M. Alphonse De Candolle, who seems to inherit all his 

 father's Botanical zeal and ability. The whole labour does 

 not, however, devolve upon himself, he being only, to use 

 his own words, " Editore et pro parte auctore." The 

 volumes are now to appear at much shorter intervals than 

 heretofore, and the editor has secured the assistance of 

 some of the most learned Botanists in Europe to aid him in 

 bringing the work to a close. The seventh volume brought 

 to a termination the orders belonging to the sub-class Caly- 

 ciflorae. The present two are occupied with 22 orders 

 belonging to the Corolliflorae, among which may be men- 

 tioned Oleaceae, Jasmineae, Loganiaceae, Bignoliaceae, 

 Cyrtrandaceae, and Boragineae, from the MSS. of M. De 

 Candolle, with notes and additions by his son ; — Lentibu- 

 lareae, Myrsineaceae, Sapotaceae, Rhenaceae, Styraceae, 

 Apocyneae, and Hydrophylleae, by M. Alph. De Candolle ; — 



3 A 



