THE Southern Botanic Journal. VOL. II.] "Great names may give splendor to Error, but cannot transform it into truth. "-ROBINSON. CHARLESTON, S. C., MARCH 3, 1838. Southern Botanic Journal, EDITED BY D. F. NARDIN. Printed by Charles A, Hall. [No. 1. We are perfectly aware, that many who differ with us, are under convictions that we are engaged in the present work, more from a sense of selfishness and dishonora The Southern Botanic Journal, is published every ble intentions, than from duty. We also Other Saturday, at $2,50 a year, payable in ADVANCE. To Patrons. In appearing again before you, with the commencement of a new volume of the Journal, we hope you will not think it amiss, that we should say a few words for ourself, and expose some of the principles that govern us in our career, and also lay before you some of our reasons for pursuing the course we have adopted in our past, and present labors. The task of an editor, is always a difficult one, but it becomes more so, when his labors are necessarily in opposition to a set of men, whom he wishes not to offend, nor incur their displeasnre upon any account. To live in peace and quietness, is the most ardent desire of the writer of this; and to be of use to his fellowmen, the lea ding incentive of all his deliberate actions; when he publishes to the world that he bears no ill will against a mortal man, he speaks the honest sentiment of his soul, and when he tries to make himself useful to his fellows, he claims no merit for the intention, but looks upon it as an imperative duty devolved upon all mankind. That in our actions, prompted by these sentiments, we should often err, we feel sorry that we are bound to acknowledge the fact, but we, on the contrary, can deny that any dishonest or base motives ever predominated in any of our actions. know, that there are many ways open to us, whereby we could command the respect of a larger majority of the world, than by pursuing the course that we have adopted. We are not unaware of the scorn of the prejudiced, and the hauty disdain of the proud; neither could we say that we are insensible to these; far from this, it has always been our most earnest desire to enjoy the good opinion of all those we know, and to whom we may be known. But to have the good opinion of the world, is not always a test of honor or honesty, We cannot, nor never will, consent to buy the good opinion of one, or of millions, so long as the monitor conscience, shall refuse to give perfect assent to the bargain; neither can we ever sacrifice the consciousness of rectitude of motives for interest, or for the enjoyment of "the bauble reputation;" nor are we anxious to enjoy the renown of a Don Quixotte, or of a Sam Patch. The cause of our present pursuit is not to be found in purely selfish motives; and any one, reflecting upon the subject, must be convinced of this. If we were bent upon the determination of acquiring fame, we certainly would not seek it in so unpopular a subject, as the one we have chosen; if we wished merely to be noted, as a fool or a knave, we could have arrived at the greatest plenitude of our ambition, with much less trouble than by the course we have pursued. It does not |