Download PDF
Download PDF Download PDF
20 INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. A Methodical Synopsis of British Plants, of which he gave himself two editions, and a third was published after his death by Dr. Diilenius. An emendated Method of Plants, concerning which I shall hereafter speak more at large. A controversial tract respecting the two contemporary systems of Rivinus and Tournefort. A Synopsis of Quadrupeds and Serpents. A Method of Insects. These works are all in Latin, by which means they are unfortunately less known in their own country than they are on tlie Continent: and to this list may be added. The editing of Willoughby's History of Birds, in Latin and also translating and publishing it in English. The editing of Willoughby's History of Fishes, in Latin. He left in manuscript an unfinished Historia Insectorum, which was published by Dr. Derham, who, after a long trouble, succeeded in obtaining from the bookseller in whose hands they had been lodged, Ray's Synopsis Avium, and his Synopsis Piscium ; both which Derham published. To this list might be added several philological, moral, and theological works; a volume of Travels, and two volumes of his Correspondence, which Derham and Scott have given to the world : but enough has been said to prove his indefatigable industry. To prosecute the history of botany since the time of Ray, in the same ample manner as I have dwelt upon the infancy of it, which is always the most interesting portion of the history of any science, would take up too much time. The remainder, therefore, can only be sketched by a hasty outline. In 1677 Dr. Plott gave the first natural history of a small local district, by publishing his Oxfordshire, which was succeeded two years afterwards by his Staifordshire these still remain very favourable specimens of this species of literature, and have not been exceeded. Sir Hans Sloane, Petiver apothecary to the Charter- House, and the elder Martyn Professor of Botany at Cambridge, were the principal disciples of Ray in this country. The French botanists mostly followed Tournefort, and the Germans Rivinus, or some of the modifications of his systematic arrangement, until a new adventurer appeared in the world of science^ who was destined to eiFect ; :
INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 21 a great cliange in botany, and who disputed the palm of victory with the celebrated Haller. What man, either of letters or science, has not heard of Haller? In poetry, devotion, anatomy, physiology, botany, literary history, he had few equals, perhaps no superior. In respect to botany, he was a follower of Ray, upon whom he bestows the highest praise, and attempted to render his arrangement still more natural than it is, using the simpler method of Ruppius as a finder, in consequence of the abstruseness of his own system. Unfortunately his labours were confined to the plants of Switzerland, while his competitor embraced the whole extent of nature, and each edition of his Catalogue was printed upon an expensive scale, in two elegant folio volumes, which rendered their circulation very confined, while his edition of Ruppius did not display the characters of the genera: otherwise the superiority of his own system, and the easiness of Ruppius's as an auxiliary, would have smothered the Linnsean botany in its birth. Hitherto the names of plants had remained nearly stationary'-, and if any alteration was attempted the name quoted by Caspar Bauhin, in his Pinax, was annexed as the common repertory of botanists. The uses also of plants had never been neglected. Another point Avas to use the words of the language, whether of the Latin or the vulgar tongue, in their usual signification. To these Ray had added a fourth, namely that to excite inquiry, he gave lists of such plants as were only imperfectly known to him. LinnaBus violated these old rules by degrees, as his systematic arrangement of plants became more and more in use. He changed the names of plants with the utmost unconcern ; he neglected almost entirely the detail of the uses ; and as to the language, he scrupled not to change the terms used in describing plants, and to affix new signi- fications to well-known words. Another peculiarity in Linnasus's writings is, that he does not give any lists of those natural substances of which he had only an imperfect knowledge: so that a person is apt to suppose them more perfect than they really are. Let it not however be thought, that some very great improvements were not introduced by him, particularly in the typographical execution of his works. His taking the characters of the families, from the same parts, although carried by him to excess, as being extended to the whole grand division, now called phenogamous plants, instead of being changed in each class according to circumstances, is 6
- Page 7 and 8: o NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OF BRITISH PL
- Page 9 and 10: TO THE MOST REVEREND CHARLES, BY DI
- Page 11 and 12: PREFACE. A VARIETY of methods have
- Page 13 and 14: PREFACE. Vll ticular organs, common
- Page 15 and 16: PREFACE. IX plants : and there have
- Page 17 and 18: PllEFACE. XI Botanica. Whatever opi
- Page 19 and 20: PREFACE. Xiii laid down, and they a
- Page 21 and 22: THE GENERA OF BRITISH PLANTS, Accor
- Page 23 and 24: F. 193. Thamnidiura I 194. Mucor 5
- Page 25 and 26: 2. PLANT.E ENDOGENiE. 2 A. Pl. end.
- Page 27 and 28: 3. PLANT.E EXOGENiE. 3 A. Pl. ex. m
- Page 29 and 30: 161. Arbutus 1 162. Uva ursi 2 B. 1
- Page 31 and 32: 356. Potentnia 14 357. Fragaria 2 3
- Page 33 and 34: XXVll TOTAL NUMBERS. Fam. Gen. Spec
- Page 35 and 36: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. I. On the U
- Page 37 and 38: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 3 cicely, o
- Page 39 and 40: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 2. The Rise
- Page 41 and 42: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 7 copious.
- Page 43 and 44: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 9 some in t
- Page 45 and 46: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 11 Glanvill
- Page 47 and 48: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 13 Others w
- Page 49 and 50: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 15 case, th
- Page 51 and 52: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 17 the hand
- Page 53: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 19 mentione
- Page 57 and 58: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANV. 23 pur than
- Page 59 and 60: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 25 1623. C.
- Page 61 and 62: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 1696. Ray S
- Page 63 and 64: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 29 174-2. H
- Page 65 and 66: NTRODUCTION TO EOTANY« SI 1778. Bo
- Page 67 and 68: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. S3 1796. Do
- Page 69 and 70: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 35 *1807. H
- Page 71 and 72: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 37 Membrano
- Page 73 and 74: INTRODUCTION" TO BOTANY. 39 Fibre,
- Page 75 and 76: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 41 'Nectar.
- Page 77 and 78: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 43 51 Wild,
- Page 79 and 80: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 4S ^ Dermol
- Page 81 and 82: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 47 Woodland
- Page 83 and 84: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 4© Root st
- Page 85 and 86: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 51 7. Surfa
- Page 87 and 88: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 55 Medullar
- Page 89 and 90: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. Acute-angle
- Page 91 and 92: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 57 Creeping
- Page 93 and 94: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 59 Hispid,
- Page 95 and 96: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 61 PROJECTU
- Page 97 and 98: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 63 Perfolia
- Page 99 and 100: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 65 8. Figur
- Page 101 and 102: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. '67 Gibbous
- Page 103 and 104: INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 69 Evonymus
20 INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY.<br />
A Methodical Synopsis of British Plants, of which he<br />
gave himself two editions, and a third was published after<br />
his death by Dr. Diilenius.<br />
An emendated Method of Plants, concerning which I<br />
shall hereafter speak more at large.<br />
A controversial tract respecting the two contemporary<br />
systems of Rivinus and Tournefort.<br />
A Synopsis of Quadrupeds and Serpents.<br />
A Method of Insects.<br />
These works are all in Latin, by which means they are<br />
unfortunately less known in their own country than they<br />
are on tlie Continent: and to this list may be added.<br />
The editing of Willoughby's History of Birds, in Latin<br />
and also translating and publishing it in English.<br />
The editing of Willoughby's History of Fishes, in<br />
Latin.<br />
He left in manuscript an unfinished Historia Insectorum,<br />
which was published by Dr. Derham, who, after a<br />
long trouble, succeeded in obtaining from the bookseller<br />
in whose hands they had been lodged, Ray's Synopsis<br />
Avium, and his Synopsis Piscium ; both which Derham<br />
published. To this list might be added several philological,<br />
moral, and theological works; a volume of Travels, and two<br />
volumes of his Correspondence, which Derham and Scott<br />
have given to the world : but enough has been said to<br />
prove his indefatigable industry.<br />
To prosecute the history of botany since the time of<br />
Ray, in the same ample manner as I have dwelt upon<br />
the infancy of it, which is always the most interesting portion<br />
of the history of any science, would take up too<br />
much time. The remainder, therefore, can only be sketched<br />
by a hasty outline.<br />
In 1677 Dr. Plott gave the first natural history of a<br />
small local district, by publishing his Oxfordshire, which<br />
was succeeded two years afterwards by his Staifordshire<br />
these still remain very favourable specimens of this species<br />
of literature, and have not been exceeded.<br />
Sir Hans Sloane, Petiver apothecary to the Charter-<br />
House, and the elder Martyn Professor of Botany at<br />
Cambridge, were the principal disciples of Ray in this<br />
country. The French botanists mostly followed Tournefort,<br />
and the Germans Rivinus, or some of the modifications<br />
of his systematic arrangement, until a new adventurer<br />
appeared in the world of science^ who was destined to eiFect<br />
; :
Change language