IP;
R I G H T H O N O U R A B L E
EARL OF GAINSBOROUGH.
My Lord,
QCIENCE will flouriih under the Patronage of Virtue, and
• Men of every Clafs will always approve and purfue thofe
Studies, which are diftinguiihed with the Regard and Approbation
of their Superiors.
Not to enter into a Detail of the many excellent Qualities
wherewith your Lordihip's Name ftands diftinguiihed, I have
an afiured Right to addrefs you, as a Generous Promoter of a
Science the moft rational and moft pleaiing, as well as the moil
effential to theXife of Man, I mean that of Botany.
But as no Science can be perfectly and thoroughly underftood,
till a Knowledge of its conftituent Obje&s be attained,
—Therefore every proper Attempt to difcriminate and afcertain
its Species, rnuft be ufeful, in a greater or leffer Degree,
in Proportion to its Succefs.
Englifh BOTANY v has received many and great Improvements
in the laft and prefent Ages, -and yet the moil
b 2 - extenfive
