t E T T E R XXV. 
I MEANT, in fome future letter, to have 
brought you acquainted with Botany in 
its proper place, as a branch of Natural 
Hiftoryj but as the fpring is the beft feafon 
for beginning the ftudy of this fcience, fub- 
jjec~ls of more importance muft give place 
to it for a time. 
Safoitur acrh by ems grata vice Verh et Favom> 
Let us therefore turn our prefent atten- 
tion to that beautiful part of creation 
terra quemferuntfoluta. 
Botany was originally ftudied with an 
attention folely to the medical virtues of 
plants. The only ancient Greek author on 
this fubjeft, whofe writings are now extant, 
is Tbcopbraftus, the difciple and fucceflbr of 
Arijlotle: he flouriflied about 320 years prior 
to the Chriftian aera : he is faid to have writ- 
ten ten books On the hiflory of Plants > one of 
which is loft; and eight, on their caufes, of 
which only fix remain. In imitation of 
Arifltotle's Hiftoria AnimaUum> his book is 
not 
