INTRODUCTION. 
LECTURE I. 
rMPOETAI^CE OF SYSTEM. ^ADVANTAGES TO BE DERro:D FKOM TUh 
STUDY OF BOTANY. 
Division of the Lecf/wres. 
1. The universe consists of matter and mind. Bj the facul- 
ties of mind with which God has endowed us, we are able to 
examine into the properties of the material objects by which 
we are surrounded. If we had no sciences, nature would pre- 
sent the same phenomena as at present. The liemenly hodieft 
would move with equal regularity, and preserve the same rela- 
tive situations, although no system of Astronomy had been 
formed. The laws of gravity a/tid of motion would operate in 
the same manner as at present, if we had no such science as 
Natural Philosophy. The afftnities of substances for each 
other were the same, before the science of Chemistry existed, 
as they are now. The characters which distinguish families 
of pla7its^ and the laws of the vegetable kingdom^ do not dejpend 
on the discoveries of Botanical science. It is a truth which can- 
not be too much impressed upon the mind, in all scientific 
investigations, that no systems of man can change the laws 
and operations of Nature ; though by systems we are enabled 
to gain and perfect a knowledge of these laws and relations. 
2. The Deity has not only placed before us an almost infinite 
v^ariety of objects, but has given to our minds \X\q, jpower of re- 
ducing them into classes.^ so as to form beautiful and regular 
systems, by which we can comprehend, under a few terms, the 
vast number of individual things, which would, otherwise, pre- 
sent to our minds a confused and indiscriminate mass. This 
power of the mind, so important in classification, is that of 
discovering resemblances. We perceive two objects, we have an 
idea of their resemblance, and we give a connnon name to 
both ; other similar objects are then referred to the same class, 
or receive the same name. A child sees a flower which he is 
told is a rose ; he sees another resembling it, and nature teaches 
him to call that, also, a rose. On this operation of the mind 
1 By the faculties of mind we examine the properties of matter. — 2. Power of the mind to fg» 
ola-sses 
