222 
HISTORY OF BOTANY. 
nations. The Portuguese extended their voyages to the western 
coasts of Africa and the Cape de Yerd Islands ; the Cape of 
Good Hope was at length discovered, and Yasco de Gama, sail- 
ing around it, reached the East Indies. It was at this period 
that Christopher Columbus discovered the New World. 
340. This event, so important to the old world, is to us who 
inhabit this pleasant and favored country one of deep interest. 
Ages passed on after the creation of the world and America 
remained, with regard to the eastern continent, as though she 
existed not. The lofty Andes raised their snowy heads to the 
clouds, the majestic Amazon rolled onward to the Atlantic, our 
lakes spread out their vast expanse of waters, our Hudson and 
Mississippi received their tributary streams and bore them to 
the ocean ; — but to what people were these grandeurs presented, 
and what were the changes in the moral world, while nature 
thus moved on in her unchanging course ? — History is silent ! 
Yet while in the old world empires had been rising, continuing 
for centuries stationary, and then decaying, succeeded, and 
succeeded by others pursuing the same track, were no moral 
changes going on in the American continent ? Had no mighty 
nations ever existed here ; had no arts or letters been culti- 
vated ; was the savage Indian for thousands of yeai-s sole lord 
of one half of the world ? — And when, and how did the first 
inhabitants of this continent come from Asia, where man was 
placed at his creation? These are inquiries which naturally 
arise on tracing the historic page through so long a period of 
time until suddenly this new world bursts upon our vision! 
But, though many speculations have from time to time ap- 
peared respecting the probable history of America before its 
discovery by Columbus, the subject is still shrouded in darkness 
and obscurity. 
LECTUKE XLII. 
HISTORY OF BOTANY FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTEENTH CEH- 
TURY TO THE TIME OF LINN^US. FROM THE TIME OF LINN^US TO 
THE PRESENT. 
341. About the period of the discovery of America hotamc 
gardens hegan to he cultivated y these afforded new opportuni- 
ties fo^ investigation, by comprehending the vegetables of all 
countries within such limits as enabled the botanist to compare 
«;hem, and to watch their growth and different stages of devel- 
New world discovered. — 340. America before this period. — 341. Botanic gardens first cuUfvatflU 
