Page:Madras Journal of Literature and Science, series 1, volume 6 (1837).djvu/497

1837.] APPENDIX.

Madras, 15th October, 1937. ,—I have now much pleasure in sending you a specimen of the work spoken of at page 74 of the last Number of the Journal. The plant figured is a new species of the natural order Asclepiadœ, nearly the whole impression of which has been struck off from my own press. I may here observe that I am well aware of my present imperfections in the difficult art of Lithography, but, as every successive trial exhibits some improvement on the preceding one, I am encouraged to anticipate ample success, when some further practice has conferred skill in the management of the press and in the performance of the various manipulations to be gone through in the process of printing from stone, and trust that my first number will afford satisfactory evidence of the style in which the work will be finished ; thinking, at the same time, that the specimen now put forth may be looked upon, all things considered, as an earnest that the work itself will be found an useful aid to Indian botanists and by no means discreditable to the state of the arts in India.

Emboldened by this early success, it is with no ordinary feelings of satisfaction, that I contemplate the prospect which it holds out, of enabling me to carry into effect a design which ten years ago I was preparing to enter upon, the publication, namely, of a series of figures of Indian plants, under the title of Illustrations of Indian Botany: success being rendered more certain by the advantages derivable from my present official situation, as the work may be looked upon as part of the duties of my office; and, in this light, has received the sanction and approbation of the Madras Government.

These Illustrations have been undertaken in the hope of effectually aiding the advancement of botanical science among us, and thereby extending our acquaintance with numerous curious and useful plants, the value of which is known to few, or the knowledge is confined to particular districts, though the plants themselves may be widely distributed; and in the not less cheering expectation of permanently bringing to light, under systematic denominations,