MR. KEITH'S BOTANICAL LExiCerar.
How far the alphabetical arrangement of a lexicon is well adapted for the exposition of a science, is questhemble. No doubt, as Mr. KEITH observes, it has its advantages in facility of reference, and in the completeness with which each single topic may be ex- pounded, as well as in the ready and attractive form it offers to the busy (idle) ) reader, by its brief and numerous subdivisions. It also allows the introduction of a greater number of subjects, and places greater power in the hands of the author as to the manner in which he may think lit to treat them. But on the other hand, the subject must necessarily be expounded with leis method and wholeness ; wanting which, the generality of persons are less likely to learn perfectly or systematically ; and if they do, it will be at a greater expense of time and labour than by a regular treatise, though the learning may be acquired more plea- santly. For general knowledge, (meaning smattering,) it is the thing itself.
Be the plan, however, what it may, the execution of IlIr.Knans Botanical Lexicon is admirable. The matter is judiciously se' 'acted, and neither too brief to be obscure nor too elaborate to be fatiguiog; and it is presented to the reader with a clearness and simplicity devoid of all striving after effect, but to which force and attraction are imparted, from vigorous ability, coupled with a full mastery over its subject. A compilation the work must be, and professes to be, for the authorities are given to every statement of importance or peculiarity : but it is the production of a man who has carefully examined the works whence he draws his informa- tion—who asserts nothing questionable upon the mere authority of names, but gives rival opinions on doubtful points, advancing his own where he has formed one ; and if the truth is still ob- scure, stating the nature and extent of the obscurity. In a work
of this nature and extent, faults and oversights must of course exist; but we are speaking of its general character,—which is to
present in a condensed shape, and with much spirit and power, a compendium of existing botanical knowledge. Its peculiar cha- racter, however, is this—a subtile spirit of humanity pervades the whole; the author writes as if he were addressing persons who were human creatures as well as botanists.
Mr. KEITH does not, however, always confine himself to mere discussion or exposit i in. Here is an instance of the mistakes of historians, whether of men or plant,. The topic is a curious ,one—on the Longevity of Trees.
"Of all the yew-i rees in Britain, or out of it, none was ever heard of equal to that which grew in the churchyard of Brabourne in Kent, as recorded by Evelyn, who measured it in 1660, and describes it as being then superannuated. Its circumference at the base was all but sixty feet, (Sylea, Chap. xxx.) giving a diameter of not les, than 2,8s0 lines, which is equivalent to an age of ,840 years; nod if it still exists, says Deeandolle, we may set it down as being of the age ot 0,000 years. In reading the above ace( unt, preparatory to the:draw- jog up of an In tide on the letigevity of trees, I began to take shame to myself
for having lived at least twenty years within a few miles of Wilbourne, with-
out having ever had cut iwity enough to take is e to the lute. But, to make amend. is a fault, I re,olved to set out !Ton a visit to it the very text MOT /11W% On the following morning. I was, aceordicgly, on my way ; awl in ny acing the
churchyard, my curiosity was raised to the highest pitch. At last I entered the churchyard, and saw, as I tptitil. a ) ew.tree ; but, alas ! no mere like the yew•tree if Evelyn ' than I to Hercules.' It was a puny thing in compari.on,
nut more than tour or five )aids iii eilcumfetence at the very base. It was Cot of course the yew-tree Evely u measured. What had become of it? It could
scarcely have rotted away entirely in the course of 175 years; and one would suppose that it must have been reekonW1 sacrilege to tarry it away to burn it. Yet there is no tradition concerning it among the nth:dolt:nits of the parish. The old.at of them never heard it spoken of by their fiirelio hers, or ever met with any vestige of it whatever. Yet I timnd I was not the only person that rumour had brought to Wilbourne in soarch of the wonderful yew•tree. A few months pre. view+, an Oxford student, who had been attending lectures in botany, having had his curiosity exeited by the representetions or assumptions of the lecturer, started, and came post to Braiwut tie on the same errand with myself, and met accordingly with the same disappointment.
" How all traces of it should have so completely disaprared an to have left not even a parochial traditiou behind, I cannot say. But let nu one for the future
take a.jourrey to Brabourre clairellyatd in the hopes of seeing Evely It's emir- nines yes- tree. Yet, as being, pc.1 haps, the nearest auproximation to it that Kent arinds, if any one is ill In at ti 'e troni0e of visiting the churchyards of
Stalcstleal alai of liaslita.7, war Char ing, he will find in each of them a yew. tree metsul ing• nine yards in eireni, at the height if four feet from the hase- the finnyr hollow, the I:: ter retold ; giving, at the rate of one line of diameter per annum, an age of 1,•200 years."
As a book of botanical reference, or a stiirehouse of botanical knowledge, we can reeommend this Lexicon : and, should it reach a second edition, if Mr. KEITH were to MIN a sketch of the science, or a list of those articles in his book which are indis- pensable to get an outline knowledge of it, the chief objection against the volume as a treatise would be removed.
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