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celebrated British Navigator COOK, - the great Navigator of and for all
Nations, - on these shores with his illustrious band of devoted disciples
of Natural Science! For, although many a Botanist has followed in
their steps in New Zealand, yet none has equalled them, - whether the
obstacles which impeded, or the fruits of their labours, or their devoted -
ness to their calling, or the correctness of their views, - be duly con-
sidered.
2. But it is only during the nineteenth century that insular Botany
has begun to receive that attention which it demands. It could not ad-
vantageously have been studied much earlier ; and even now it may
justly be said to be in its infancy. Island Floras with their geology
and climate, have to be more fully explored and made known ; and
species have to be more clearly defined ; and the bounds of varieties
ascertained ; and the innate powers of a plant to evolve and change under
favorable natural conditions, have to be better understood, ere many
importanrt questions can be satisfactorily answered. Yet that day will
come. Every natural fact collected and recorded by the true lover of
science is a step towards it. The Sphinx, Nature, is daily being evoked
by her faithful sons ; and her answers, always extorted and always cor-
rect, (though not always interpreted correctly,) are being registered for
future generations. To us it appears strange, that a species should be
found here, ( in New Zealand,) and its like only at the Antipodes ; or,
perhaps, at one of the two great Southern Capes of America, or Africa ;
or, which is far more probable, only at some small islet, - a mere speck
in the oceanic waste waters, - as Juan Fernandez, or Easter Island,-
the Falkland Islands, or Tristan d' Acunha ; - St. Paul's, or Amsterdam;
- Kerguelen's Land, or Norfolk Island. Is it the very same identical
species ; or is it only similar? If it is similar, has it become changed
through climate situation or soil ? and, if so, how much more may it
not change? If the same, were there more than one original germ of
its kind ? If only one, in which spot was it first ? and how many ages
rolled by ere it was first found in the other ? and how many more before
it became common therein ? Or, were the present widely dissevered
localities then one Continent ? and , if so, how long a period did it re-
quire for the said one germ to reach its present outermost range - assum-
ing such germ to have been originally placed in its centre ? If not from
one germ but many ; were all, required for the various localities, created
together ? or, some earlier, some later ? and, if so, which localities were
the earlier, which the later supplied ? Does every island, or island