INTRODUCTION. 
N a Country, to which the only true Method of 
enquiring into Nature is intirely owing, and where 
all the Parts of Natural Philofophy, as well as 
Hiftory, are daily receiving fo confiderable Im- 
provements, in profccution of that Method, not 
only by thofe whofc Profellions engage them in 
fuch Studies j but by great Numbers of others alfo, 
to whom a love of Knowledge, and a defire of ad- 
miring the Wifdom of the Almighty Creator, in the Works of 
Creation, arc become as powerful Motives as cither the Necellities 
of Life, or the Ties of Society can be ; In fuch a Country, I fay, 
there is no need of an Apology for what I now offer to the Publick. 
The Skill and Contrivance of Nature fhinc forth as brightly in the 
OEconomy of the Vegetable Kingdom, as in that of any other Part 
of her Works} and the Study of Plants, fuch cfpccially as arc remark- 
able for the beautiful Structure of their Flowers, was never more in 
vogue amongft us, than it feerns to be at prefent. 
That the Guernfay Lilly is of this Number, will, I believe, be 
difputcd by none, who have ever beheld it in full Bloflbm } and I 
hope, the Defeription and Figures which I now give of it, will be 
fufficient to convince thofe who have never feen it. 
It is nOw about fourfeorc and ten Years, fince Cornutus publifh’d 
the firft Account that ever was given of this Plant, under the Name 
of NarciJJusJaponicus Flore Rutilo. At Icaft if any Author has dc- 
feribed it before him, it is in fo impcrfefl and indeterminate a Manner, 
that by what they have faid, it cannot be certainly known whether 
they really meant our Lilly or not j as we fhalj fee more particularly 
in its proper Place. 
CornutU5'% Dcfign led him principally to the Confideration of fuch 
Plants, as arc of the Growth of Canada^ a French Settlement on 
the Continent of North America i but he has thought fit to include 
likewifc in that Hiftory, fuch other Plants as had come to his Know- 
ledge, which had not been taken notice of before him. Of thefe 
the Narcijfus Japonicus is one. His Defeription of it is indeed ve- 
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