Sii LETTERS OF WILLIAM GRIFFfTIT. 



value of characters. After all I think Jussieu will turn out truer 

 to nature than Lindley supposes. I think I could knock on the 

 head most of the arguments in favour of approximating Umbelli- 

 ferae to Ranunculaceas. I have written to McClelland to make 

 my people select specimens of Khasyah plants for you, and when 

 the first part is done, which relates to the Summer flora, you shall 

 have the Winter one. I took the precaution to reserve duplicates 

 of all the plants for my own use, and I only wish I had an op- 

 portunity of transfering my really immence collections to your care, 

 in order that you might cull whatever you wished. But m shallah! 

 as the Persians say, I trust we shall at least have many a consultation 

 yet, in a congenial climate. Were I to go home, I would set about 

 getting up Monographs of all our orders, the thing might be done 

 in a few years, but I would expect co-operators, to keep their pro- 

 raises. Edgeworth is a promising botanist : he seems perfectly ac- 

 quainted with the flora of his station. 



I have just made a drawing of a Plantago : I suppose it is P. Ispa- 

 ghula : it has no more to do with the form of Plantago media etc, 

 than I have, yet people are satisfied with culling it Plantago. 



Cahul: Sept. 25, 1839. 



I find that I have not written to you since I left Candehar : the 

 truth is, I can no longer fill large sheets, for this country though 

 abounding in novelties to me, scarcely presents any anomalous plants, 

 on which my soul loves to dwell. Of this place itself I am quite 

 tired, and shall be glad when the advance, which is expected to take 

 Dlace in a few days, actually appears in orders. The other side of the 

 Town did present some verdure, but this is as barren at present as 

 any part of Arabia felix. Hills without a particle of vegetation, pre- 

 senting one unvaried uninteresting brown hue. I have in addition 

 to the long march from Candehar, also made one of 24 days to 

 Bamean, and back, which place is on the other side of the Indian 

 Caucasus, though still farther within the mountains, and is famous 

 for its caves, gigantic idols and ruins. And such scenery ; how in- 

 describable ! a valley to some extent enclosed by most beautifully 

 sculptured mountains, presenting every variety of colour — here rosy, 

 red, yellow ; there bluish, purple, brick red, and presenting sucb 



