LIKNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 29 



that the derelopment of the natural system proceeded more 

 rapidly in France, where the Linuean system gained but little 

 hold, than in Holland, Germany, or England, where it became 

 firmly established. Linnaeus fully recognised this, and ascribed it 

 to the greater facility offered by artificial methods for the deter- 

 mination of plants. '• Some botanists," he says, " would rather read 

 a book in which the plants are arranged alphabetically, than one 

 in which they are arranged according to their characters." " I 

 almost believe," he adds, " that the mind of the botanist is disposed 

 towards some one system from the outset ; nence it is perhaps 

 desirable that the beginner should be made acquainted with all 

 the systems so that this stuff might be got rid of once for all " 

 (' Classes Plantarum,' Praefatio). 



The sway, amounting almost to sovereignty, that Linnteus 

 acquired in the realm of Natural History could not, however, have 

 been due to his intellectual qualities alone. Great as these were, 

 they would have failed to effect that Reformation of which I have 

 spoken, had they not been reinforced by a capacity for inspiring 

 to enthusiasm all who came under his influence. That he possessed 

 this crowning gift in a remarkable degi'ee is the only possible 

 interpretation of the outburst of activity in Natural History that 

 followed upon his teaching. Out of the crowds of students who 

 attended his lectures, many became teachers themselves, and not a 

 few travelled far and wide in the Old World and the New in 

 quest of animals and plants. Nor was it exercised only on his 

 pupils ; it affected the teaching, the botanical teaching at any rate, 

 throughout Europe, the most distinguished contemporary botanists 

 avowing themselves his disciples. 



Such being the man and his work, it is not surprising — quite 

 apart from the special circumstauces of the case — that our Society 

 should have been called after his name. And we, the Fellows of 

 to-day, may well be proud, as were the Fellows of 1802, to be 

 thus associated with so great a figure and so momentous an epoch 

 in the history of the sciences that we cultivate. 



It is impossible to recall these great days of old without being 

 reminded of the great days within our own experience. If our 

 Society is a living monument to the Reformation brought about by 

 Linnaeus, it was also directly concerned in the Revolution wrought 

 a century later by Darwin. This is not the time to draw a parallel 

 between these two great naturalists ; it will suflice to say that, 

 however different in other respects, they both laboured, and 

 laboured triumphantly, to the limit of life and strength, in the 

 cause of Natural History, and both alike have the strongest claim 

 upon our veneration and our gratitude. 



I have now exhausted my theme, and were this not an especially 

 memorable occasion for me, I might well bring my address at 

 once to a close. As it is, I cannot forbear a few words by way 

 of epilogue. Once more I would express my profound apprecia- 

 tion of the confidence that raised me to this high and responsible 

 office, and has maintained me therein during all these years. 



