Page:Natural History Review (1861).djvu/13



great work is proceeding slowly, but steadily, under the editorship and superintendence of Dr. von Martius. When first that distinguished traveller and botanist undertook, in conjuction with the late Dr. Endlicher of Vienna, the preparation of a complete Flora of the Brazilian Empire, he hoped to have contributed a great proportion of it himself; and, accordingly, one of the first parts published—the "Anonaceæ"—was entirely his own. But he soon found, that if carried through on the scale he contemplated, it was far beyond the work of a single man; and he applied himself to the obtaining the collaboration of the most active among modern systematic botanists. Upon this plan, the different natural orders are undertaken by different monographists, each one availing himself of the materials supplied by Dr. von Martius, and of such others as could be obtained from the herbaria accessible to each,—Dr. von Martius reserving for his own share such revision of the MSS. as may be necessary to put them in conformity with the general plan, the superintendence of the printing and engraving, and in many instances the preparation of the drawings. This course has insured the more careful working out of the different parts than could be obtained by any other means, and was perhaps the only feasible plan. But it necessarily entails a want of unity of principle, which will be a great obstacle to the deduction of general conclusions from the work when completed. The uniformity secured by the editor's labours can be external only; for the systematic views of the different contributors are as different as the