92 ~ Natur alist’s Monthly Report. [Feb. 1, 
that no ereat addition or alteration has been necessary. Every part, except the synonym, 
from authors, i is given inthe English language, and the authority for every borrowed sentences 
or fact, is most scrupulously quoted. Although the whole is professedly a compilation, yet, 
such a compilation, with such innumerable references, must have been mdeed an Herculean 
labour. For this dictionary not only contains a preater number of species than any other 
work that is not a miere vocat ulary, but the specific character of each, all its synonyms, 
complete description and history are collected, from every accessible source. It is true, 
that the length of time necessarily occupied in completing so laborious an undertaking, 
must have occasioned a great deficiency, especially in the first Ba eee parts ; beeause, 
in a science so rapidly progressive, a large numbor of new discovered plants must have been 
published in the interim, im the many botanical works carrying on, both in this country and 
on the continent. ‘This is an imperfection that could not possibly have been avoided, and 
can only be remedied by the publication of an appendix or supplement, for which we sin- 
cerely hope the Professor may have been collecting materials in the progress of his labours, 
and that he may enjoy health and vigour, t together with suitable encouragement, to induce 
him to proceed; the latter indeed we suspect must cms arise from the satisfaction felt in 
the consciousness of the utility of his labours. 
Professor Martyn has made the language of Botany, which in English has been 
necessarily almost created anew, his peculiar study; and, we think, has been more 
successful in it than any other writer of English botanical works, so that we hope to 
see it universally adopted. 
We can bear .witness to the accuraey er pervades every part of this stupendous 
work. The synonymy is far more complete than is to be found elsewhere, and the 
correctness with ‘which the innumerable quotations are made is so very uncommon, that 
we have seldom or never met with a false reference. ‘This accuracy could not have 
been obtained without great labour, as all the editions of the species plantarum, not 
excepting the last by Wildenow, abound in errors in the quotations. Nothing seems to 
have been taken upon trust, but an actual examination appears to have been always 
undertaken. 
‘The work was intended to have been comprised in two volumes, but they huve been 
found far too unwieldy for convenient use, re title pages have been therefore printed, 
and each volume is divided into two parts. Altozether we consider this as the most 
useful present to the English botanist, that has been ever published 5 nor is its utility. 
by any means confined to such as have little acquaintance, with the learned, languages, the 
most scientific, the most expert botanist may consult it with no small advantase. 
With regard to the plan of the work, an aiphabetical arrangement is certainly the least 
satisfactory of any to a scientific botanist, nor is it so useful even to the student as the 
systematic. It has, however, its advantages, it can readily be consulted for particular 
" information respecting ~ mdividual species by the most unlearned, and on this account 
is particularly desirable to the amateur, to those that have not the Icisure or the will to 
make botany a study, yet are lovers of plants, and know just enough about them to feel 
an interest in enquiring what has been known or said, respecting such as may fallin their 
way, either in the course of their reading, or in the gardens they may cultivate or visit, or from 
ether sources. Perhaps the complete description of the genera might have been usefull 
omitted, to have made recom for more full ‘essential characters now almost exclusively 
used, which even without actual observation might have been advantageously enlarged from 
the labours of Jussieu and Gertner. We fink too that the description and history of 
the species should have immediately followed the specific character, or that the name 
should have been repeated, instead of trusting to the number only; a3 it eccasions the 
reader a great deal of trouble in referring back continually to the ¢ corresponding numbers, 
to discover the name of the species of which the Per are recorded. Besides, in 
cases of doubt, some suspicion will always attach of want of accuracy in the coincidence of 
the numbers; scme mistakes in this respect we think we have detected, and nothing but 
the singular accuracy of the professor could have prevented their i: equeft occurrence. 
NATURALIST’s MONTHLY REPORT. | 
Now soe rains obscure, 
Drive through the mingling skies with vapour foul ; 
Dash on the mountain’s brow; and shake the A 
20M the 19th of December to the conclusion of the month, ‘we have had an almost 
uninterrupted succession of foggy, lowering, and rainy weather. The frost which 
commenced on the 7th, was not of long continuance. During the last fortnight of the 
menth, the sun has not been visible more than once or twice, and then only for a very 
short space of time. On the 25d of December there was so dense a fog throug the 
whole day, that, except about noon, objects at a few yards distance were scarcel 
‘ discernible. 
