Goodale — Development of Botany Since 1818. 405 



important species in Medicine, the Arts, and rural and 

 domestic economy, by John Lindley. Second edition, 

 with numerous additions and corrections, and a complete 

 list of genera and their synonyms. London: 1836" (32, 

 292, 1837). A very brief notice of this work in the first 

 part of the volume for 1837 closes with the words, "A 

 more extended notice of the work may be expected in the 

 ensuing number of the Journal." The extended notice 

 proved to be a critical study of the work, signed by the 

 initials A. G. which later became so familiar to readers 

 of the Journal. Citation of a few of its sentences will 

 indicate the strong and quiet manner in which Dr. Gray, 

 even at the outset, wrote his notices of books. In speak- 

 ing of the second edition of Professor Lindley 's work, 

 he says : 



"It is not necessary to state that a treatise of this kind was 

 greatly needed, or to allude to the peculiar qualifications of the 

 learned and industrious author for the accomplishment of the 

 task, or the high estimation in which the work is held in Europe. 

 But we may properly offer our testimony respecting the great 

 and favorable influence which it has exerted upon the progress 

 of botanical science in the United States. Great as the merits 

 of the work undoubtedly are, we must nevertheless be excused 

 from adopting the terms of extravagant and sometimes equivocal 

 eulogy employed by a popular author, who gravely informs his 

 readers that no book, since printed Bibles were first sold in Paris 

 by Dr. Faustus, ever excited so much surprise and wonder as 

 did Dr. Torrey's edition of Lindley 's Introduction to the Natural 

 System of Botany. Now we can hardly believe that either the 

 author or the American editor of the work referred to was ever 

 in danger, as was honest Dr. Faustus, of being burned for witch- 

 craft, neither do we find anything in its pages calculated to 

 produce such astonishing effects, except, perhaps, upon the 

 minds of those botanists, if such they may be called, who had 

 never dreamed of any important changes in the science since the 

 appearance of good Dr. Turton's translation of the Species 

 Plant arum, and who speak of Jussieu as a writer who has greatly 

 improved the natural orders of Linnaeus." 



In the Journal for 1840 there is a large group of 

 unsigned book reviews under the heading, ' ' Brief notices 

 of recent Botanical works, especially those most inter- 

 esting to the student of North American Botany." The 

 first of these short reviews deals with the second section 

 of Part VII of De Candolle's Prodromus. In 1847 the 

 consideration of the Prodromus is resumed bv the same 



