ON THE 
BOTANY OF THE UNITED STATES, 
a ¥ 
JLn every country an accurate knowledge of its internal 
resources, forms an object of political importance. But a 
description of its natural productions is connected with the 
interest of society at large, and eminently calculated to il¬ 
lustrate those indications of goodness and intelligence, which 
may be traced in every form of matter, from a particle of 
earth to the wonderful construction of an organized and 
sentient being.”* 
These sentiments should be felt by every well wisher of 
science; and every enterprising and well disposed citizen, 
will be willing to contribute, as far as he is able, to the in¬ 
formation here contemplated. Under this conviction, I have 
determined to address you this evening on the Botany of 
the United States. A subject which, considering our 
peculiar and important advantages for its cultivation, has 
been, I conceive, much neglected. I propose, first of all, 
to call your attention to some of the advantages which we 
possess for the study and improvement of Botany. 
A country can scarcely be said to exist till the period of 
its civilization. The savage, with a mind uninformed by 
knowledge, and affected by no desires or emotions, but those 
of immediate preservation and enjoyment, passes, with little 
regard, the most important productions of nature. Even 
those which by their novelty or usefulness have engaged his 
attention to-day, will often be forgotten in the hurry of to¬ 
morrow. Of Botany, he knows nothing. He has a slight 
and imperfect acquaintance only with a few medicinal and 
* Edinburgh Review. 
