30 7 Dr. Smitu’s Introductory Difcourfe. 
experiments he made on himfelf. But his infirmities did not deter 
him from taking frequent and laborious alpine journeys, any more 
than his very confined circumftances prevented his being at con- 
fiderable, and at that time very uncommon, expences, in the ad- 
vancement of his darling purfuits. He founded and fupported a 
botanic garden, kept a painter and engraver in his fervice, had a 
very confiderable library, and, according to Haller, was the firft who 
ever formed a mufeum of Natural Hiftory. But his greateft 
honour is his having firft fuggefted the idea of a methodical ar- 
rangement of plants according to claffes, orders and genera, from 
the different ftruéture of the flowers; an idea which all true bota- 
nifts fince his time have purfued, and to which the very exiftence of 
botany as a fcience is owing. 
- Aldrovandus refembled Gefner i in his indefatigable induftry and 
zeal for the advancement of Natural.Hiftory. Like him he de- 
voted his life to travelling and ftudy, and like him eftablifhed a 
mufeum and undertook works whofe immenfity aftonifhes as much 
as their erudition. But he did not poffefs the fyftematic genius of 
Gefner, nor had he the prudence along with the liberality of his 
great contemporary. Although he had a fortune of his own, and 
was aflifted by many of the rich and powerful of his time, he was 
reduced to indigence towards the end of life. He lived to the age 
of 80, dying in 1605. His memory has been always1 nuch honoured 
at Bologna. The great zoological work which he left imperfect, was 
finifhed after his death: and his mufeum laid the foundation of that 
which at prefent is one of the ornaments of that univerfity. Many 
fpecimens ftill exift there marked with the venerable hand-writing 
‘of their firft poffeffor. 
Neither had Clufius that genius for. arrangement for which 
Gefner was remarkable. Botany is however very much indebted to 
him for the publication of a vaft number of new plants, with excel- 
lent 
