6 



NOMENCLATURE. 



in a certain negligence of expression, or have dared to choose 

 a language for themselves, which it was necessary to have 

 explained in a preliminary vocabulary. This practice is high- 

 ly reprehensible ; because it proceeds partly from ignorance 

 and disregard of the laws of the already recognised Nomen- 

 clature, and partly from conceit, arrogance, fondness for no- 

 velty, and national prejudice ; and because it creates unneces- 

 sary difficulties in the science, and affords it no essential ad- 

 vantage whatever. 



At the same time, our reprehension is not meant to fall 

 upon those who designate forms that are really different and 

 peculiar, by new and suitably selected expressions ; because 

 the farther the knowledge of plants is extended, the greater 

 number of altogether nev»^ forms, or of such as were hitherto 

 misunderstood, do we discover; and these could only be de- 

 signated in a very defective manner, if we should confine our- 

 selves to the expressions that are already used for them. 



7.' 



Nomenclature has its difficulties; but these would be un- 

 necessarily increased, by compounding terms to too great 

 an extent, or by applying them to the most subtle sub- 

 divisions of our ideas. Without making any breach on the 

 solidity of the structure, it may be simplified and relieved, 

 by, on every occasion, consulting nature, and giving life to 

 our demonstrations by examples ; by considering many terms 

 as in general useful, without constantly repeating them in the 

 description of every part ; and by supposing the knowledge 

 of the learned languages to have been already acquired. 



8. 



The Nomenclature is of Latin derivation, because this lan- 

 guage is understood by the learned of all nations, and of all 

 times. This cannot be objected to, since the descriptions of 

 the plants are also given in the language of each particular 

 country. These descriptions, however, are not generally in- 

 telli^ble ; and as long as there is no agreement in the choice 

 of terms, they must also be defective in respect of certainty. 



