( Z2;8 ) 
Sometimes this name exprefles fome quality 
of the plant, to which it belongs, but as fre- 
quently is arbitrary; and perhaps it would 
be better that it was always fo, as the names 
by which we diftinguifh the individuals of a 
family. It may require fome trouble at firffc 
to acquire the ufe of arbitrary names, but 
the advantage of them when acquired is 
every day demonflrated. Of this we cannot 
doubt, if we attend to the confufion occa- 
fioned in common converfation, by perfons 
who will not ufe the proper name of what- 
ever they attempt to defcribe : they introduce 
all kind of circumftances to make themfelves 
underftood, and at the end of their endea- 
vours leave the perfon, whom they would 
inform, in defpair of ever acquiring any know- 
ledge from their defcriptions. Could the 
diftinguifhing mark of each plant be ex- 
prefl'ed by one word, and that word be ufcd 
as the name for the individual, or what is 
called the trivial name, it would greatly fa- 
cilitate the knowledge of plants ; but this we 
cannot at prefent hope, though probably we 
fhali fee great improvement take place in this 
part of the Linnean fyftem of botany, as wxll 
as in fome others. 
It 
