ON GARDENERS’ SOCIETIES. 
59 
MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 
On Gardeners’ Societies.— Sir, I have read with much plea¬ 
sure the different letters in your two last numbers respecting the 
formation of a gardeners’ society in the neighbourhood of London, con¬ 
vinced, as I have long been, that such an institution would have a 
powerful influence in promoting the improvement of horticulture, and 
in elevating the characters of its professors. Too long have we, by 
our mean envy, our petty jealousies, our contracted prejudices, and our 
gross partiality, allowed a stain to rest upon the character of a pro¬ 
fession once at least distinguished for the intelligence and moral worth 
of its members; too long have we, in consequence, retarded the advance¬ 
ment of science, the cultivation of intellect, the diffusion of benevo¬ 
lence, and the progress of improvement in the practices of our art. 
True it is that there are many noble exceptions; true it is that there 
are men who, in spite of the sneers with which their labours have been 
met, and the dark insinuations which have been circulated by puny 
minds respecting their motives, have still continued their investiga¬ 
tions, and, animated with a spirit of diffusive benevolence, have com¬ 
municated the results to their thankless brethren. True it is that 
there are individuals who, keen in the pursuit of knowledge, and 
anxious for the spread of philanthropic principles, eagerly receive as a 
boon every fresh piece of valuable intelligence, and rejoice in contem¬ 
plating every judicious system for the elevation of humanity, be the 
imparter of that knowledge, the author of that system, who or what he 
may. But is such conduct general ? Are such principles in common 
operation ? I point you not in answer to that still large class in whom 
the spirit of inquiry has never been aroused from its slumbers, who feel 
perfectly astonished how their brethren should pester their brains about 
such things as salts and gases, science and philosophy. Such men do 
but little harm, and that of a negative kind; but it is no negative 
injury inflicted upon the progress of improvement, when men, profess¬ 
ing themselves to be anxious for the promotion of enlightenment, allow 
a principle of envy to gain such an ascendancy over their better feel¬ 
ings, that they scruple not to undervalue, nay, sneer at the labours of 
others ; not because they can pick a fault with a sentiment which has 
been uttered, or a proposition which has been made, but merely because 
the authors of these labours belong not to a certain circle, within the 
bounds of which these sapient critics either believe all wisdom to reside, 
or would willingly confine every particle of information, and every 
display of intelligence. Hence, if a well-written, good-meaning essay 
