PRELIMINARY TREATISE. 
7 
adding to his deserved reputation, conscious of the unsatis- 
factory and chaotic state of the present system of botany, 
has attempted in a very ingenious and useful tract to arrange 
the orders by some intelligible and regular course of divisions. 
Valuable as his labours are in this and in all other respects, 
I may say without any offence to him, that such are the 
radical and insuperable defects of the system, that the 
attempt only serves to make darkness visible, and shew the 
points wherein it is utterly artificial and repugnant to nature. 
I cannot, however, proceed with any observations that have 
the least bearing on the botanical labours of that gentleman, 
without previously expressing not only the high opinion I 
entertain of his talents and acquirements, but the obligations 
under which I feel myself to him, not only for the liberality 
with which he has entrusted to me portions of his library 
and valuable herbarium, but for the invariable urbanity and 
kindness with which he has favoured me with his opinion 
and instruction on some points, concerning which I found 
my general information deficient, and indeed upon every 
occasion in which I was desirous of his advice. I may take 
this opportunity of returning equal thanks to Sir. W. Hooker 
for the liberality with which he has sent tome from Glasgow 
the whole of bis valuable specimens of Amaryllidaceous 
plants, enabling me to describe and make outlines of a great 
number hitherto unknown, and for the alacrity with which he 
has replied to any questions I had occasion to put to him. 
Mr. Bentham has kindly communicated his specimens of 
Narcisseae. To Dr. Brown and Mr. Bennett of the British 
Museum and to Professor Don I am indebted for the civility 
with which they assisted me to inspect the Banksian her- 
barium and those of Mr. Lambert ai>d the Linnsean 
Society ; and from Dr. Graham, the distinguished professor 
of the Edinburgh University, and Dr. Neill, of Canon-mills 
Cottage, near Edinburgh, I have received some interesting 
communications. To Mr. Sabine and to the garden of the 
Horticultural Society I am indebted for a copious supply of 
fresh specimens of Narcissi ; to the Rev. William Ellicombe for 
some others ; and I owe thanks to the liberality of Mr. 
Murray of the Glasgow botanic garden, and Mr. Loddiges 
of Hackney, for the opportunity of examining some plants 
which I should not otherwise have seen ; and to Mr. Anderson 
of the Chelsea Garden for seeds of Narcissi, and for some 
information concerning the several varieties. 
