40 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
and an acute botanist, and his name must ever 
rank among the most endearing of those which 
add lustre to our science. 
(17.) It is impossible, in the rapid survey we are 
now taking, to dwell upon all the names, much less 
to enumerate all the works, which now propagated 
the system of Linnzus, and gained fresh converts to 
the study of nature. For about fourteen years the 
illustrious Swede reigned, without a competitor, over 
the empire of zoology. But a formidable rival then 
arose, who divided with him the honours of su- 
premacy. It will be necessary, however, before 
anticipating this part of our history, to notice a 
few writers, whose names occur between the years 
1734 and 1754, or a period of about twenty years ; 
during which time, nearly every thing that was 
published on systematic natural history emanated 
alone from Linneus. Rumph (or, as he is more 
generally called, Rumphius ), was a Dutch merchant 
resident for many years in Amboyna, during which 
time he investigated both the botany and concho- 
logy of that productive island, and he published the 
result in two separate works, still of much value.* 
There is a very interesting portrait of this venerable 
worthy, who nearly completed seventy years, pre- 
fixed to one of his works, representing him,—as he 
became in his latter days,—blind; yet still taking 
delight in examining his favourite shells by touch, 
when he could no longer do so by sight. The 
* G. E. Rumphius. (1.) Thesaurus Imaginum Piscium 
Testaceorum, &c. Hage Comitum, 1739. folio. (2.) Cabinet 
d’Amboine, en Hollandois. Amst. 1705. 1 vol. folio. — 
( Cuvier. ) : 
