The Language of Botany: Being a Dictionary of the Terms Made Use of In that Science, Principally by Linneus [sic]: With Familiar Explanations, and an Attempt to Establish Significant English Terms. The Whole Interspersed with Critical Remarks.

First edition. An early follower and proponent of Linnaean botany, Martyn was concerned that as the system became more well-known, the vernacular terminology used to refer to it would become corrupted and illogical. He here seeks to establish an English set of terms and "to fix our native Botanical Language on certain and reasonable principles, conformable to general analogy" (Preface). The chair of botany at Cambridge, Martyn (1735-1825) was the first to teach Linnaeus's system in an English university. The book is dedicated to James Edward Smith, the founder of the Linnean Society. Henrey 1026. Octavo (195 x 134 mm): a6 b8 B-X8 Y2; 176 leaves, unnumbered. Nineteenth-century dark green roan, spine ruled and lettered in gilt, blue marbled sides, brownish green endpapers, edges uncut. Modern shelf mark inscribed in ink to front free endpaper. Binding rubbed, extremities worn, contents foxed: in very good condition.