P R E F A C E .
THE utility of this undertaking at a crifis, when the tafte for Botanical purfuits fo univerfally prevails,
willj it is prefumed, be readily admitted by all thofe engaged in them, whether as theorifts, colleflors,
or cultivators. Such a work, under the immediate direftion of ferae principal leader in the fcience,
of this country, has been a defideratum of long expeftance; but either from the great expence neceilarily
incurred, before any adequate return could be made, or from the trouble attendant on publications,
where colouring forms fo coniiderable a part, as yet, every fimilar attempt has proved abortive.
The Bot. Mag. of Mr. Curtis, a work of lingular merit in its way, has occaiionally furniflred, it is
true, a few fpecimens of new plants; but the greateft part, as its title-page indicates, confifts of thofe
well known, common plants, long cultivated in our gardens; the direft reverfe of the propofals and
intentions of the author, in the profecution of this. From a wifli to prevent confufion, it was a
determined principle at the outlet of the work, not to give any generic or fpecific fynonims; but to
follow the moil generally accepted names, of known and named plants, without a cavil, of our beft
Engliih botanitts, or cultivators, if no flagrant error was perceptible, according to the Linnaean fyftem:
being fatisfied, nothing contributed fo much to reprefs the ardour of young botanifts as the
difficulty of affixing the right name to thofe plants, which, (from a captious defire in every publiiher,
to foift in fomething of his own coinage, upon the moll trifling fuppofed diiierence,) have undergone
feveral changes of title. If the plant was a certain novelty, with us, to have followed the fexual
fyftem, without a fchifm; upon that truly grand and comprehenfive fcale of nature; when the
formation of a new genus was necelTary; if not, to refer it to fome one already made, if fuch was
to be found, in any orthodox author: the fpecific name to be formed from fome oppofed, leading
feature, in the habits of the different fpecies of the genus. But although fuch were the Author's
intentions, when he entered on this bufmefs, yet, from a wifh to oblige many of the fupporters of
the work, who have fignified a wifh that fynonims fliould be given, an alphabetical Index, with
all the various Synonims collated from the beft authorities, lhall be printed feparate for the ufe of
thofe who may wifh for fuch an addition.
As a fair excufe for the Author, (who throws himfelf upon the candour of the Public,) in extenuation
of the inaccuracies which have, and will neceffarily occur in the profecution of the work,
it is jull to fay, that tlie difficulties to be encountered, and of which none but thofe engaged in
fimilar concerns can form any adequate idea, are incalculable; arifing chiefly from the nature of a
monthly publication, compofed entirely of novelty, which cannot be anticipated, and of courfe, fo
very little time can be allotted for revifal or correftion. To remedy as far as polfible fuch flips, a lift
of Erratae will be given, with the Index, at the clofe of each volume.
K N I G H T S B H I D G E , 06t . 1799.