32 Dr. Smitn’s Introductory Difcourfe. 
talents for natural hiftory, that his premature death cannot be 
fufficiently regretted. Gronovius has contributed in various ways 
to the advancement of the fcience. His Flora Virginica and his 
zoological works are cogftruéted upon Linnæan principles. 
He was always in amicable correfpondence with Linnzus; as con- 
{tant in the offices of friendfhip as deaf to the impulfes of envy and 
jealoufy. It was Gronovius who had the honour of naming the 
Linnea after his illuftrious friend. 
One of the greateft and moft extenfive geniufes of this or any 
age was Haller, that great phyfiologift and unwearied obferver, 
who, though at firft the friend, afterwards became the rival, and 
the only refpectable rival, of. Linnzus, compared with whom all 
his other criticks fink into nothing. What a pity it is thefe illuf- 
trious men were not always friends! Whata pity the memory 
of Haller fhould have been, difgraced by the publication of thofe 
confidential letters, the revifal of which one would have thought 
fufficient to difarm the moft inveterate mind ! 
« Tantæne animis cœleftibus iræ ?? 
I muft however refcue the name of Haller as much as poffible 
from this foul ftain. Onacareful enquiry among thofe who 
alone could fatisfy me on the fubje&, I am inclined to think his 
powers of body and mind were fo enfeebled that he may be faid to 
have been not himfelf at the time thefe letters were publifhed, and 
probably never revifed them. Elfe can we fuppofe a chara&er 
like his would fo grofsly have violated, not only the confidence of 
friendfhip, but even the laws, of paternal affe&ion? for in that 
collection are letters of one of his fons, then no more, which no 
father ought to have made publick. Perhaps the temptation of 
producing 
