( Hi ) 
ftudies of him to whom they were addreflecl, 
and that nothing fo effectually fixes a new 
idea in the mind, as attaching it to an old 
one. 
Thofe who, in the perufal of this volume, 
expect to find amufement, will probably be 
disappointed: if it prove in any degree, in- 
ftructive to young ftudents, the defigu of 
its publication is anfwered. 
I muft now beg the reader's indulgence 
whilft I expostulate a little with a fraternity 
of periodical critics, who afTume the title of 
Analytical Reviewers, relative to a late pub- 
lication of mine, entitled Synoffis of the Na- 
tural Hijlory of Britain, &c. Thefe critics, 
or rather the individual who did me the 
honour to review that book, after allowing 
it fome merit, writes thus " In the vege- 
table kingdom, the author juftly acknow- 
ledges the affiftance he had from the works 
of Hudfon, Lightfoot, Curtis, and Wither- 
ing, ir oft of vvhofe plants he has adopted, 
rather too implicitly, for not one of their 
errors, even the moft notorious, is corrected." 
The accufation may be juft. Poffibly I 
may have depended too implicitly on what 
I believed to be fubftantial authority j but 
furely it was incumbent on the reviewer ta 
prc- 
