54 HlSTOlllCAL EULOGIUM 



seed itself, as the seed-coats/the perisperm, &c., are_ but of 

 secondary moment. 



The Memoir in which M. de Jussieu thus laid the first 

 bases of the science of characters, was, as above stated, 

 published in 1773, and procured him admittance into the 

 Academy. The following year, 1774, he published another 

 on a more extensive and complete scale, in^vvhich all these 

 striking views are again taken up, handled anew, and placed 

 in a clearer and more precise light; and the following circum- 

 stance gave occasion for this publication. The method of 

 Tournefort, established by himself in the Jardin des Plantes, 

 was still persisted in there, notwithstanding all the changes 

 that had taken place in science. The need of a reform was 

 felt, especially as the number of acquired species was much 

 increased during this protracted interval, and the old locality 

 had become insufficient for their accommodation. BufFon 

 first projected an augmentation worthy of the times to 

 which his name has added lustre, and having laid his plan 

 before Louis XV., who was fond of Botany, the king ap- 

 proved and adopted it. The Garden was at once^doubled in 

 size, and that portion devoted to the school,^ properly so 

 called, was to be immediately replanted. 



Nothing remained but to decide on thefplan that should 

 be pursued when planting the ground. It was'Jmpossible to 

 preserve the system of Tournefort, at least as a whole, espe- 

 cially because of the two great improvements which Linnaeus 

 had introduced ; namely, defining the genera, and simpli- 

 fying the nomenclature. Nor, on the odier hand, was it 

 practicable to adopt the Linnsean method/inirenious as it is, 

 because of its being in reality still farther off from the order 

 of nature, than that of Tournefort. The choice remained, 

 whether to correct one of these great systems by the other, 

 or to establish a new one; and the latter alternative was 

 selected. The new system proposed by M. de Jussieu, is a 

 scientific combination of the celebrated labours of Linnaeus, 

 Bernard de Jussieu, and Tournefort. From Linnaeus it 



