428 
SYSTEMS OF CLASSIFICATION. 
has proved that its chief claim to merit is to be traced to “the facility 
with which it enables any one, hitherto unpractised in Botany, to ar¬ 
rive at a knowledge of the genus and species of a plant.” This, by 
the bve—is a most important circumstance, and if it can he established 
as a fact must be regarded as a very strong argument. That which 
facilitates the acquirement of a knowledge of genera and species must 
possess great excellence; but it falls far short of that which is a pure, 
elegant and enlightening Science. I regret much that time and space 
are not allowed to me to follow up the line of reasoning whereby Dr. 
Lindley endeavours to draw a comparison between the two systems : 
he is a zealous convert, and he argues zealously, effectively, in behalf 
of the system which he has embraced. He has done more than this. 
His book contains twenty-five letters, couched in the most simple, 
clear, and instructive language. These letters are individually in¬ 
troduced with a beautifully engraved copper plate, each containing 
two or more subjects, illustrative of as many orders. Every plate is 
a complete dissection of a plant, and every letter a sufficiently com¬ 
prehensive (in some instances a very minute) definition of the plates. 
There is nothing to be regretted, but the price of the work, which 
may place it in far too few hands; and, the limitation of the matter. 
If fifty orders be rendered perspicuous, if the seal be removed from a 
part of the Cabinet of Knowledge, one hundred and fifty orders re¬ 
main more or less in obscurity, and require to be laid open. It is in 
vain that the worthy author refers to other systematic works, they— 
the uninitiated—who have once perused his letters, have entered his 
stvie, and have gone step by step with him in his simple and yet 
erudite elucidations, will not be content to refer to other dark and 
ponderous volumes—oh no—having once begun,—“having sethis 
hand to the plough, he must go on,” if he wish his readers really to 
appreciate the various modifications of organization that connect one 
tribe of plants with another, and to understand the infinite wisdom 
and beautiful simplicity of design, which is so visible in the vegeta¬ 
ble world ; the just appreciation of which, through countless grada¬ 
tions of form, structure and modes of existence, it should be the con¬ 
stant aim of the Botanist to demonstrate.” See preface page xiii. 
The reader must now be referred to the work itself, for in no other 
way can justice be done it. An extract from the Sixth Letter, page 
86, will exhibit the delicate tact of the author, by which he leads his 
pupils in the road to knowledge; the simplicity of the style charms, 
while the perspicuity of the investigation instructs: thus, ever, should 
the young mind be enticed to study and observation.—Imagine a 
copper plate drawing with seven figures, to face the heading of the 
