CLASSIFICATION. 89 



that the natural arrangement therefore is represented 

 bj a series of circles, constituting together a net-work, 

 of which the meshes or subordinate circles touch at 

 their circumference other circles, having near relations 

 with them ; the whole uniting to form a great circle. 

 According to this idea, the animal kingdom consists of a 

 certain number of grand divisions arranged in a cir- 

 cular form, each of these circles consisting again of the 

 same number of classes forming another circular series 

 within the preceding. These again are divided and sub- 

 divided into others representmg orders, families and 

 genera. The number of parts constituting each of 

 these circles is supposed to be the same. Thus, for 

 instance, in one of these systems five genera are 

 included in each famUj, five families in each order, and 

 so on to the grand divisions, which are also five. The 

 authors and advocates of the systems are by no means 

 agreed as to the governing number adopted by nature, 

 three, four, five, and seven, having been respectively 

 proposed. They are all known as circular systems, and 

 receive their peculiar designation from the number pro- 

 posed, as ternary, quinary, &c. 



It cannot be denied that every animal has other 

 animals clustered around it by various relations, and 

 that any system of grouping founded on these relations, 

 tends apparently to a circular arrangement. But it is 

 equally true that every attempt to discover the governing 

 principle which presides in the arrangement has been 

 hitherto unsuccessful. Notwithstanding that much learn- 



VOL. I. 11 



