than the names of
a thousand; and wiser to be happily familiar with those that grow in the
nearest field, than arduously cognisant of all that plume the isles of the
Pacific, or illumine the Mountains of the Moon. {201}

Nevertheless, I believe that when once the general form of this system in
Proserpina has been well learned, much other knowledge may be easily
attached to it, or sheltered under the eaves of it: and in its own
development, I believe everything may be included that the student will
find useful, or may wisely desire to investigate, of properly European
botany. But I am convinced that the best results of his study will be
reached by a resolved adherence to extreme simplicity of primal idea, and
primal nomenclature.

34. I do not think the need of revisal of our present scientific
classification could be more clearly demonstrated than by the fact that
laurels and roses are confused, even by Dr. Lindley, in the mind of his
feminine readers; the English word laurel, in the index to his first volume
of Ladies' Botany, referring them to the cherries, under which the common
laurel is placed as 'Prunus Laurocerasus,' while the true laurel, 'Laurus
nobilis,' must be found in the index of the second volume, under the Latin
form 'Laurus.'

This accident, however, illustrates another, and a most important point to
be remembered, in all arrangements whether of plants, minerals, or animals.
No single classification can possibly be perfect, or anything _like_
perfect. It must be, at its best, a ground, or _warp_ of arrangement only,
through which, or over which, the cross threads of another,--yes, and of
many others,--must be woven in our minds. Thus the almond, though in {202}
the form and colour of its flower, and method of its fruit, rightly
associated with the roses, yet by the richness and sweetness of its kernel
must be held mentally connected with all plants that bear nuts. These
assuredly must have something in their structure common, justifying their
being gathered into a conceived or conceivable group of 'Nuciferae,' in
which the almond, hazel, walnut, cocoa-nut, and such others would be
considered as having relationship, at least in their power of secreting a
crisp and sweet substance which is not wood, nor bark, nor pulp, nor
seed-pabulum reducible to softness by boiling;--but quite separate
substance, for which I do not know that there at present exists any
botanical name,--of which, hitherto, I find no g