48 Dr. Smita’s Introductory Difcourfe. 
we adopt his theories or not. This author is fo remarkably inat- 
tentive to nomenclature and fyftematic arrangement, that an acri- 
monious enemy of Linnzus has quoted him as affenting to his 
own illiberal fentiments of that great man; but I am fure nothing 
could be more unjuft than to make: Bonnet a partifan of fuch ani- 
mofity. Happy are thofe true philofophers, who; by an attention 
to the works of the Creator, are led, like this amiable man, to make 
themfelves better as well as wifer, and to diffufe not enit Snerleder 
but happinefs on all around them! 
Linnzus, whofe powers were beginning to diese. Al: in 
3771 the Mantifa altera, which may be confidered as his botanical 
teftament. It is partly a collection of remarks and corrections 
made at different times, and contains, befides, defcriptions of a 
number of new plants, of which the rich communications of Dr. 
Mutis, from the continent of South America, make a confider- 
able part. This gentleman, and fome other Spanifh botanifts his 
friends, have had the good fortune of inveftigating the countries of 
Mexico and new Granada, hitherto little known to botanifts ; and 
the fruits of their induftry were all fent to Linnæus. Among 
them, the great variety of beautiful and very extraordinary new 
plants of the clafs Syngenefia are remarkable. The fineft of all 
was honoured with the name of Mutifia, and publifhed by the 
younger Linnzus in his Supplementum Plantarum, a work the 
foundation of which was laid by his illuftrious father not long 
before his death. I forbear to enlarge upon this melancholy 
period of the hiftory of our fcience, which deprived it of its bright- 
eft ornament. The circumftances of the death of Linnæus, with 
the honours paid to his memory, are known to all ; nor need I on 
the prefent occafion make any artificial difplay of his merits, or of 
the lofs which fcience fuftained by his death. Iam convinced none 
of my hearers has any thing to learn on this fubject, and I would 
7 rather 
