14 



tion to its pursuit^ and added countless treasures 

 to the researches of his predecessor — and by the 

 innumerable varieties of shrubs and flowers, to which 

 he gave ^a local habitation and a name/ the sea- 

 girt island became the home and nursery for almost 

 every tree and plant; and it is now to the annals 

 of Enghsh agriculture and gardening, that we look 

 for the most valuable improvements in the useful 

 and ornamental departments of horticulture. 



The science of botany, being thus founded solely 

 on the natural affinities and fixed laws of vegetation, 

 the great masters to whom I have referred, raised 

 it at once from being the obscure handmaid of medi- 

 cine, to be the most enlarged and delightful study to 

 which the head and heart of man could be devoted. 

 The poorest plant and the most unobtrusive flower 

 that ^blushed unseen,' — under their hands in a mo- 

 ment, unfolded the mysteries of its being, and the 

 hidden lore of nature. For if the flowers on the 

 mountains, and in the valleys, are the alphabet of 

 angels, with which they have written secret and 

 divine truths upon the hill-tops, how doubly attrac- 

 tive must become a study, which shall disclose the 

 loves of those angels, or the higher destiny of man. 



Standing as w^e do, at an immeasurable distance 

 from the olden time, living in an age and land where 

 all who have the spirit to be free, or the virtue to be 

 just, may become public benefactors ; how strong 

 are the calls which duty and interest, in every art 



