Mr. W. S. MacLeay on some Remarks of M. Virey. 47 



Art. V. A Reply to some Observations of M. Virey in the 

 " Bulletin des Sciences Naturelles, 1825." By W. S. 

 MacLkay, Esq., A.M., F,L.S., 8^c. In a Letter to the 

 Editor. 



My dear Vigors, 



I had originally included the following observations in a more extended 

 paper which I had sent to a contemporary scientific publication. Cir- 

 cumstances, however, over which I had no controul, have delayed the 

 appearance of that paper ; and, as much time has already been lost, I 

 have extracted my remarks from the original communication, and shall 

 feel indebted to you if you will give them the first vacant space which 

 you can spare in your Journal. 



On the subject of analogies as distinct from aflftnities, I am rather curi- 

 ously situated with respect to M. Virey,* a French naturalist of note, who 



* Bulletin des Sciences Naturelles, 1825. — His character of my paper is thus 

 somewhat ludicrously summed up. — " Tel est I'objet de I'interessant memoire 

 de M. MacLeay ; nous aurions seulement k lui faire le reproche frequemment 

 merits de ses compatriotes, de ne pas rendre justice aux Fran9ais ; car sur ce 

 point, toute I'Europe savante reconnait (excepte plusieurs Anglais) que c'est 

 k M. A. L. de Jussieu, a Adanson, k Tournefort, qu'on est redevable de la 

 classification naturelle des plantes, et que c'est surtout aussi k M. M. de Lamarck 

 et Cuvier que le Regne Animal doit ses distributions modernes les plus natu- 

 relles. C'est en France que les methodes naturelles ont et6 les plus perfection- 

 n6es; personne I'ignore; pourquoi done ce jaloux silence de nos eternels 

 rivaux? Nous osons nous croire plus equitables en exposant fidelement les 

 vues de M. MacLeay, qui se garde bien de citer nos c^lebres naturalistes en cette 

 circonstance ou il etait si juste de la faire." 



Now, had the charge against me been perfectly true, had I even published a 

 translation of M. Cuvier's Regne Animal as an original work of my own, I can- 

 not help thinking this tirade against a nation to be uncalled for by the occasion. 

 But I appeal to the readers of the Horos Entomologicce, whether the charge be 

 correct, that I have been illiberal to the French school of Naturalists; I appeal 

 to them, whether I have not cited them whenever I could : I may have failed, 

 indeed, through ignorance, but never through intention ; and M. Virey has yet 



