The vegetable SYSTEM. 
69 
neighbouring Genera. And is this fo eafy a work ? befuies, how 
many are the exceptions to his rules ? They abound in every Clafs. 
Some indeed are remedied by rules of proportion, that an adept 
may profit by; but it will certainly puzzle a learner to obviate thefe 
and the other difficulties. They arife, 
1. From the characters of the Clalfes frequently taken from incon- 
fpicuous or various parts of Plants ; and thele parts ranged in different 
Claffes. Thus Rav draws his Claffical character, fometimes from 
the Flower, fometimes from the F'ruit, the Root, the Leaves, &c. 
Linx.4;us, more artificial, and therefore more uniform, takes the 
Chives, either as to number or proportional length : to thefe are 
added Clafiesof male, female, &c. Plants. The firit followed Nature, 
the laft maintained his fexual Syftem. 
2. From feveral Genus’s in all Syftems, anfwering in no particular 
to the character of theClals they are ranged under; and this the oftener, 
the nearer we follow Nature. 
3. From the frequent varieties happening in the fame Genus. 
From the not being able to diftlnguifii in a long character, 
the efiential marks that feparate the Genus’s from one another. 
y. The neceffity of often waiting for the Fruit before the real 
Genus can be determined with certainty. 
These difficuUiesand many more molt young beginners have no 
doubt experienced : but it will not be difiicult to remove entirely 
thefe and other impediments. Thus in our work, 
1. The Flower, as the molt obvious part of the Plant, wiU fur- 
niffi invariably the claffical character. 
2. No Genus will ever be placed in any Clafs, the character of 
which doss not ItriCtly anfwer. 
3. W HEREVER any Species of a Genus varies from the Clafs or order 
it is placed in, that Genus will be repeated, under other CLffes or 
Orders, which each varying Species fiiall fuit, 
4. No part of the generical character will be expreffed, but what 
is abfolutely neceffary to difiinguiffi a Genus from others in the fame 
Clafs. 
Finally, the generical character will be drawn from parts 
vifible to the eye during the Effiorefcencc ; fiich as the Cup, Petals, 
Ciiives, Pointal, and Germ. 
The following page will (how the key of the Clafies. 
VoL. II. T 
A TA- 
