Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1811-08-26

4 NALSlf NAtStiS.SO iOiNStJ anu olS
! Almost led BY instinct to desire an inu
mate acquaintance with them.
Some knowledge Of The science OF
botany is SO ancient, that We scarce
meet with any work of eminence
whether in poetry or prose, where
there IS not continual recurrence to
the vegetable kingdom. We may al
most say that the plant vegetables in the
poem, grows in history while manv
passa gcs even in the sacred writings
ea0noi be well understood without
some previous knowledge of this part
Unnatural history. Some attention 10
Botany, is certainly Indispensable to
every one who has the least claim to a
refined taste Of liberal education.
During the last century, this science
has enlisted the first genuises of al
most every nation, in its service--vol-
umcs have been written, and important
discoveries made. But it had been
long regretted that all the works of real
merit which have yet been published
on this Interesting subject, have been
wil.ten IN such a manner as to render
them unfit for popular use, and almost
entirely to exclude the fair reader
from the rich repast which they at.
ford. =,
In country like ours, where thevery
existence Of our republic depends on
an universal diffusion of knowledge a.
mong every class of citizens the female
sex ought surely not to be deprived Of
their share Of influence. II now, how
erSr, gives Us peculiar pleasure on
being informed that DR.. Barton of our
city, who has Justly been styled the
blDnGus of America, has been induced,
al the request of a number of gentle
men, 10 descend from his more classic
and scientific pursuits, to prepare
work OH the pleasing subject of Bota-
ny, designedly for the use Of female
seminaries, and for the benefit of the
sex in general. The work, We under
stand, will go to press in few days,
and will be comprised in a neat DUoDE-
cINo VOLUME, with variety of engra-
wings, to illustrate the classes and yari-
Gus parts Of the plant.
In this work, every essential part of
the history Of vegetables viii be retain
ed, their manner of growth, time of
towering, uses, &c.
twill as far as practicable, be Invested
OF all technical language, and may be
confidently expected, as well from lis
author as from It's design, to include
nothing but what taste will admire and
dellcacy approve. 10 enhance the VAL
ue OF this yolumn, there will be refer.
ences to those passages in the Poets,
where particular plants have been men,
toned.
One decided superiority such work
will have over every ether of the kind
is that il will be written by one, whose
long researches have rendered him IA
miliar with almost every plant uf our
country. 4 he celebrity which Dr..
Barton's works have obtained here and
In Europe, makes us confident that the
public will not be disappointed in this.
With the aid of such a yolumn, our
ladies oftaste and education will be a.
bic to explore the kingdom of Flora,
and extend their observations from the
hysop which grows On the wall, To the
cedar that waves its branches ON the
summit of Lebanon while the beau,i.
tul metaphors Of " of the Rose of Sha-
ron, and The Lilly of the Valley" will
be better understood. 1t is to be no.
ped that while a foreign Princess IS
causing Dr.. Barton's large works on
Botany, 10 be translated Tor her own
use, Co.umbia's fair will not let the
linnaan age Of America pass without
aVaIling themselves oft.
This public enunciation is made bv
one who is lover of Botanical science.
and Whose only aim is to prevent orr
youth from an Improbable purchase
OF works, which would render them
but little service, by an assurance tba,
in few weeks at farthest, yolu mn
viii be presented 70 them, which viii
facilitate their progress in the knoul-
edge OF the vegetable world, without
the obsourity and inatiIity Of the more
common European elementary bro.
duclions. A LOVER OF BoraNy
---r. - s.-