[ s ° 6 ] 
degree of fimilitude, yet he found himfeif often at a 
lots, and unable abfolutely to determine which fide to 
take. 
. The book of Gleditfchius was publifhed in the 
year 1753, and is, I believe, the lated writer who 
has done much on this fubjedf, except, perhaps, Sco- 
poli, in his Hora Carneolica, publifhed anno 1760, 
who differs from all the preceding botanids, in rela- 
tion to fpecies and varieties ; and though his work' has 
great merit, both in relation to this and other orders 
of plants, efpecially the Cryptogamhe, yet there did 
remains much to be done, as, I believe, every Ikilful 
reader will eaiily allow. 
From all that has been obferved, I would draw a 
few conclufions in favour of the propofals in que— 
dion. 
bird, then, The uncertainty of authors on this 
branch of botany, diews, that it requires a dill farther 
examination, than has hitherto been made. 
2dly, That though, in general, dnce the writings 
of Linnaeus, figures have been, in a great meafure, 
laid afide, yet in this, and fome other obfcure parts of 
botany, they may be employed to good purpofe. 
3<dly, That the curious in botany ought to look on 
themfelves as particularly obliged to thofe, who are 
inclined to labour and make refearches in the obfcure, 
and, according to the vulgar opinion, contemptible 
parts of nature, efpecially this- order of plants, fome 
of which are ufed for the table, and not a few of them 
are of a poifonous nature, fo that a mil take may, and 
has, perhaps, fometimes proved of fatal coniequence. 
LXXX. An 
