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Letters on the Elements of Botany: Addressed to a Lady
Among the many interests of Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) was botany. These letters 'addressed to a lady' came to the attention of Thomas Martyn, professor of botany at the University of Cambridge, who thought that 'if [they were] translated into English, they might be of use to such … as wished to amuse themselves with natural history'. However, when the translation was done, he 'perceived that the foundation only being laid by the ingenious author, it could be of little service, without raising the superstructure'. Martyn's 1785 publication, of which we have reissued the 1791 third edition, adds notes and corrections to Rousseau's original thirty-two letters which explain the structure of plants and their ordering in the Linnaean system. Martyn urges the reader not to study it 'in the easy chair at home': it 'can be no use but to such as have a plant in their hand'.
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Letters on the Elements of Botany: Addressed to a Lady
Among the many interests of Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) was botany. These letters 'addressed to a lady' came to the attention of Thomas Martyn, professor of botany at the University of Cambridge, who thought that 'if [they were] translated into English, they might be of use to such … as wished to amuse themselves with natural history'. However, when the translation was done, he 'perceived that the foundation only being laid by the ingenious author, it could be of little service, without raising the superstructure'. Martyn's 1785 publication, of which we have reissued the 1791 third edition, adds notes and corrections to Rousseau's original thirty-two letters which explain the structure of plants and their ordering in the Linnaean system. Martyn urges the reader not to study it 'in the easy chair at home': it 'can be no use but to such as have a plant in their hand'.
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Letters on the Elements of Botany: Addressed to a Lady

Letters on the Elements of Botany: Addressed to a Lady

Letters on the Elements of Botany: Addressed to a Lady

Letters on the Elements of Botany: Addressed to a Lady

Overview

Among the many interests of Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) was botany. These letters 'addressed to a lady' came to the attention of Thomas Martyn, professor of botany at the University of Cambridge, who thought that 'if [they were] translated into English, they might be of use to such … as wished to amuse themselves with natural history'. However, when the translation was done, he 'perceived that the foundation only being laid by the ingenious author, it could be of little service, without raising the superstructure'. Martyn's 1785 publication, of which we have reissued the 1791 third edition, adds notes and corrections to Rousseau's original thirty-two letters which explain the structure of plants and their ordering in the Linnaean system. Martyn urges the reader not to study it 'in the easy chair at home': it 'can be no use but to such as have a plant in their hand'.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781108076722
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication date: 07/27/2017
Series: Cambridge Library Collection - Botany and Horticulture
Pages: 562
Product dimensions: 5.51(w) x 8.66(h) x 1.38(d)

Read an Excerpt


hooded willow herb : whereas moft of the plants with perfonate flowers are not odorous, as fnap-dragon, toad-flax, eye-bright, loufewort, yellow rattle, broom-rape, ivy- leaved toad-flax, round-leaved toad-flax, fox-glove1, andc. I know of none that have a ftrong fmell in this branch but the fcro- phularia, or figwort, which fmells ftroug, xvithout being aromatic. Here I am not able to name any but fuch plants as may perhaps be unknown to you ; but you will gradually get acquainted with them, and, whenever you fee them, you will be able by yourlelf to determine what clafs they belong to. I wifh you would try to fettle the branch or feandion by its phyfiognomy, and that you would exercife yourlelf in judging at fight whether a flower be labiate or perfonate. The exterior form of the corolla may luffice to guide you in this choice, which you may verify afterwards by pulling out the corolla, and looking at the bottom of the calyx; for, if you have judged right, the flower which you have named labiate will (how you four naked feeds, and that which you have named perfonate will fliow you a pericarp : the contrary would prove that yon were miftaken; and by a fecond examination of the fame plant you would prevent a like miftake another ' Some of thefe have the mouth of the corolla gaping. Ses pi. 4. f. 3. timek. Here, dear coufin, is bufinefs cut out for feveral walks. I (hall not fail to provide fomething for thofe that will fucceed. k This advice will apply in all the other natural claffes. From this paflage it is clear that by labiate flowers Roufleau underftands all that arc included in the firft order; by perfonate flowers, all that are in the fccond order of Linnaeus's I4thclafs: but many of the Bowers in the fecond order have the lips open. PI. 4. f. 3. LETTER LETT...

Table of Contents

Translator's preface; Introduction; 1. The true use of botany; 2. Double flowers to be avoided; 3. Botany not to be studied by books; 4. Reason why two stamens are shorter than the other four in cruciform flowers; 5. Glands very small; 6. The umbellate and other natural tribes of plants; 7. Botany a study of curiosity only; 8. The manner how to form a hortus siccus; 9. The skill of a botanist; 10. Genera and species; 11. Explanation of generic and specific characters of plants; 12. The examination of plants; 13. Corn and grasses; 14. Other plants of the third class; 15. The fourth class; 16. The fifth class; 17. Nectary; 18. Hexandria monogynia; 19. Heptandria; 20. The eleventh class; 21. Class Icosandria; 22. Fourteenth class, Didynamia; 23. Fifteenth class, Tetradynamia; 24. Plants to be examined at different seasons; 25. Class seventeenth, Diadelphia; 26. Class Syngenesia; 27. The twentieth class; 28. The twenty-first class; 29. The twenty-second class; 30. The twenty-third class; 31. The different forms and structure of the nectary; 32. The twenty-fourth class; Index of the English names of plants; Index of Latin names; Natural tribes, or orders of plants; Index of terms.
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