The vegetable system. 
^8 
where is the man bleft with a fufficient memory to retain the marks 
of fo many thoufand Vegetables. 
Let not fome critic tell us, after this declaration, that we break 
all natural Clafles, and feparate near relations ; we mean to do fo. 
We mean, in the following Work, to have no mercy upon any Clafs, 
any Order, any Syltem, that ftops a minute our purfuit. With the 
utinoft reverence for Nature, we chufc in this performance an eafier 
guide; and if we attain the end propofed, this mere artificial index 
lhall pave the way to a Sylfem of another kind ; we are bold to fay, a 
more natural one than has hitherto appeared : and fo indeed it mull; 
be, or we fliould fcarcely think it worth our while to give it to our 
country. 
It might be expelled perhaps, that the method ofLiNN^^ius fliould 
he afi'umed as this artificial Syltem or Index of Plants ; but we have 
fhewn its imperfedlions for that fcrvice. We fhall be infinitely 
.obliged to him for the materials with which a new and more deter- 
mined Syftem may be formed ; but more confideration, and farther 
refearches into Nature, the only fure guides, (hew us that a new 
Syfiem or Index of this kind may be eftablilhed ; the characters of 
which will be at leaft more familiar than his, if not alfo more 
determinate. 
Before we draw the outlines of this Index, let us (fate the diffi- 
culties that generally attend the firft fteps of Botany. Thefe proceed 
from the diffierent views each Botanifl; has had in forming his Syftem. 
Botany, like other branches of Natural Hiftory, has been referved 
for a few ftudlous men ; too unfaffiionable to form a part of genteel 
education : it is generally acquired from books, and feldom if ever 
taught in univerfities. Ray is the favourite of this country ; his 
Synopfis is commonly the initiating work : of late indeed the Linnean 
Syftem has been introduced, and even our Ladies now number Chives 
and Fointals ; but what immenfe difficulties attend the learner, who 
firft attempts this or any other botanical performance. The want of 
generical fpecific characters in Ray, renders that author (though ex- 
cellent in his way) unintelligible to a beginner: nor is LinNj^us 
much eafier. His chara(3:ers are excellent, but neceflTarily long ; 
eflential differences, feldom exifting in a fingle part, muft be made 
out by ftrieft examination of the whole, and an exaCt comparifon with 
neigh- 
