to this purpose, is that called the Natural method, which, 
enabling us to discuss questions concerning the structure of 
its several groups, in conjunction with climate, geographical 
distribution, medical and physical properties, makes modern 
botany a highly interesting and philosophical study. The 
artificial system of Linnaeus, usually taught in this country, 
is ill adapted for our purpose, and for the present state 
of science. But I am very far from wishing, by such an 
observation, to reflect in any manner upon the character or 
merits of Linneeus, one of the greatest naturalists that ever 
lived ; than whom no one has more strongly expressed the 
necessity of establishing a more philosophical arrangement, 
which he considered the ultimate object of study; and who 
did Natural History the highest services by the invention 
of methods of arrangement, which prevented its being 
overwhelmed by the very magnitude of the exertions made 
in its service. But it is necessary to place the natural 
classification in a proper point of view, since even one of 
our principal botanists seemed to think the natural subor- 
dinate to the artificial method of classification. In criti- 
cising a work of Mr. Robert Brown, who is acknowledged 
by all Europe as the first Botanist of his day, Sir James 
Smith says, " He himself will surely not reckon it complete, 
without a Linnaean Index, ' to give the precious metal 
sterling worth :' we have done this, Gentlemen, without the 
Index, by returning, if I may be allowed the expression, 
from a paper to a golden currency." 
The connexion between the medical properties of plants 
and their structure, was a subject which attracted the 
attention of botanists at an early period. Thus Cassalpinus, 
in 1583, in the Preface to his work, " De Plantis," says, 
" Quae enim generis societate junguntur, plerumque et 
similes possident facilitates ; n while Camerarius, in 1699, 
wrote a dissertation, entitled " De Convenientia Plantarum 
