As we have said, that, in proportion to the more correct formation of natural orders, medical botany might be further improved, the later attempts in this line would appear to merit some investigation. As Murray has adopted the natural orders of Linnaeus with some changes, we have considered his system in a parallel with that of the Swedish naturalist. In these changes we have found something to commend, and much to blame. It is to be regretted that he has not left any disquisition on this subject, and given reasons for his interpolations. A favoured pupil of Linnaeus might have communicated many valuable observations on the connection of botany with medicine in this mode of arrangement.

The later system of Jussieu, published in its most perfect form by Ventenat, would too far extend the present article; yet we should not avoid the labour if it were more applicable to medicinal investigation. Jussieu has adopted what is technically styled a method; that is, he has formed classes and orders, as well as a clavis classium. But his orders are extremely numerous, because they are very strictly natural; so that little can be predicated of each order, but what is immediately suggested by the genus. The step, however, which he has thus taken, is highly judicious, as preparatory to the formation of more extensive, and consequently more useful, orders; and, as we found that those of Linnaeus contained too numerous, and consequently discordant, genera, so in this system we should see with satisfaction an union of some of the genera most nearly related. Were we to resume this subject in a separate work, we should perhaps be rather tempted to reform the associations of Linnaeus, than wholly adopt those of Jussieu. We speak only with a view to the medicinal power of vegetables.

The Swedish naturalist thought highly of M. Jus-sieu's botanical talents, and of his natural associations. We have seen, in the little dialogue quoted, that he had in his view a method which he would not explain; but he has given hints of this method, and it appears to be the same with that of Jussieu. As this must be the foundation of every improvement of natural orders, we shall enlarge a little on it. Natural orders are very intimately connected with the cotyledons, or the lobes, as in the bean, into which the seed is divided. The seeds of the greater number of plants, as we have seen, contain two cotyledons; many contain one only, and the cryptogamiae chiefly contain none. From the time of Ray, this has been found the part of a vegetable most steady and constant, and that which connects plants similar in form and in virtues. The polycotyledones are only like double flowers, vegetable monsters, produced by an excess of nourishment, and consist in a further division of the lobes of the bicotyledones. Some authors contend, as Gaertner and others, that real polycotyledonous plants exist; but this makes little difference in the arrangement, as there are but few such, and not strikingly distinguished.

Another part of Jussieu's system is connected with the insertion of the corolla. The flower is subject to few varieties, but it is not so constant as the cotyledons. Linnaeus attended only to two distinctions, viz. the superior and inferior, when it was above or below the ovarium, or seed pod. Jussieu is more minute. It is sometimes inserted on the ovary, and is then styled epyginous, as in the rubiaceae and umbelliferae; sometimes under the ovary, when it is styled hypogynous, as in the cruciferae and labiatae; and sometimes on the calyx, and is then called perigynous, as in the rosaceae and leguminosae. In this case the flower is rarely mo-nopetalous, though this occasionally occurs, as in the campanulaceae, and some others. Jussieu has added the following table, to express the importance of each part of the fructifications in forming natural associations. The proportion is expressed by a fraction, of which 12 is the common denominator.

In this table the only term not generally known is the perispermum: it is not a new appellation, though seldom employed. It is that part of ripe seeds distinct from the coverings and the embryo; in many seeds not unlike, both in consistence and colour, the white of an egg. Grew calls it the albumen, and Malphigi, the secundinae internae.

Jussieu's system is divided into fifteen classes. The first is the acotyledonous, the cryptogamiae of Linnaeus, containing an order of hepaticae added to the usual ones. The monocolyledones are divided into three classes, according to the situation of the pistils before explained. The first of these contains the reeds, rushes, and grasses; the 2d, the palms, the lilies, and irises, &c; and the 3d, the scitamineae, orchideae, etc. The dicotyledones are divided into three sections, forming ten classes, viz. the apetali, monopetali, and poly-petali. These are subdivided according to the attachment of the stamina or corolla. The apetali, whose stamina are attached to the pistil, are the asaroids only; to the calyx, the laurels, the proteas, the daphnes, &c; under the pistil, the amaranthuses. plantagos, etc N n

The monopetali, whose corolla is attached under the pistil, contain the jessamines, the solana, borragos, the gentians, labiatae, personatae, etc.; when attached to the calyx, the bicornes, campanulaceae, etc.; when attached under the pistil, with the antherae reunited, they contain the corymbiferae, chicoraceae, etc.; with the antherae distinct, the dipsaceae, rubiaceae, and cap-rifolaceae. The polypetalous plants, whose stamina arc attached to the pistil, contain the araliaceae and um-belliflia:; when attached under the pistil, the tulips, ranunculuses, barberries, poppies, cruciferae, hespe-ridae, malvaceae, sarmentaceae, &c; when attached to the calyx, the ficoids, the succulentae, the rosaceae,, the leguminosae, etc. The last class contains the irregular plants, where the stamina are separated from the pistil; viz. the tithymalae, the cucurbitaceae, urticeae, amenta-ceae, and conifers.