SPONTE TULERE SUA.
VlRGf.
P R E F A C E .
T H E prevailing tafte for botanical purfuits, and the
encouragement afforded in this country to every
work which tends to advance them, have given rife to the
prefent undertaking, and make any apology for it unne-
ceffary. It remains with the public to judge o f the merit
o f the work, and to decide whether it fbould be proie-
cuted or not. It may not however be improper to fay
fomething o f its intention and plan.
A knowledge o f the plants o f our own country is in
many refpe&s preferable to that o f exotics, as it can be
much more completely attained, and is on leveral accounts
more direftly ufeful. Nor are the humble productions
o f our fields and woods deficient in real beauty,
elegance, or Angularity o f ftrufture, in which re-
fpeCts fome o f them indeed vie with the moft favourite
exotics.- Not to mention the indifpenfable neceffity for
thofe, who are occupied with the rural oeconomy o f
any country, to be well acquainted with its native vegetables
•, the ftudy o f them, as a mere amufement, has
this eminent advantage over exotic botany, that it
doubles the pleafure o f every journey or walk, and calls
forth to healthy exercife the bodily as well as the mental
powers-, while perfons who know no fuch purfuits
either facrifice their health to fedentary employments, or
are content to fubmit, without an object, and without
enjoyment, to toil and labour for exercife, and for exercife
alone.
A s this ftudy then is fo much to be recommended,
and