grass was wet and they could not damp their feet-the bushes had thorns and they should tear their clothes-the stiles were high and they could not get over- -the hills were steep and they could not get up-all great inconveniences, as every body knows-but as they were strong and healthy, I was fain to wish they would sometimes wet their feet, rend their clothes, and take cold into the bargain, rather than be always consulting their bodies' welfare to the impeding of every body's purpose, and the interruption of every body's pleasure. But I fear my readers will be tired of my friends-in truth, and so was I. OUR Classes are now no longer distinguished as at first by the number of the Stamens. The character of the Sixteenth Class, Monadelphia, is the having the Filaments, or thread of the Stamens, united together so as to seem but one at the base, though separating at the top to bear the Anthers; and the number of Stamens being no longer needed to distinguish the Class, are made use of to determine the Orders; these in English Botany are three-Triandria, three Stamens; Decandria, ten Stamens; Polyandria, many Stamens: for though the Class contains many more Orders, it is not necessary: to introduce them, as we have no species in them of British growth. The Genera of this Class are very few, and the Species, except of the Geranium, are few also, not of much elegance and beauty: the Class does not, grass was wet and they could not damp their feet-the bushes had thorns and they should tear their clothes-the stiles were high and they could not get over-the hills were steep and they could not get up-all great inconveniences, as every body knows-but as they were strong and healthy, I was fain to wish they would sometimes wet their feet, rend their clothes, and take cold into the bargain, rather than be always consulting their bodies' welfare to the impeding of every body's purpose, and the interruption of every body's pleasure. But I fear my readers will be tired of my friends-in truth, and so was I. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF NATURE. BOTANY. (Continued from page 291.) MONADELPHIA. FILAMENTS UNITED INTO ONE. OUR Classes are now no longer distinguished as at first by the number of the Stamens. The character of the Sixteenth Class, Monadelphia, is the having the Filaments, or thread of the Stamens, united together so as to seem but one at the base, though separating at the top to bear the Anthers; and the number of Stamens being no longer needed to distinguish the Class, are made use of to determine the Orders; these in English Botany are three-Triandria, three Stamens; Decandria, ten Stamens; Polyandria, many Stamens: for though the Class contains many more Orders, it is not necessary: to introduce them, as we have no species in them of British growth. The Genera of this Class are very few, and the Species, except of the Geranium, are few also, not of much elegance and beauty: the Class does not, |