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from human imperfection and error, they are in their very 

 nature otherwise prone, but from which it is the interest 

 of every good citizen to guard them. I do not conceive, 

 however, that anyone needs to be reminded of the various 

 dignities, whether courtly or academical, conferred on the 

 illustrious Swede. His simple name Linnaeus, recalls them 

 all. We have no occasion to say the Emperor Julius 

 Caesar, King Henry IV. of France, Mr. Secretary Milton, 

 or the Right Honourable Mr. Addison. Neither is it ne- 

 cessary to say Sir Charles Linnaeus, or the Chevalier de 

 Linne, to remind us that he was Knight of the Polar Star, 

 and the first person who ever received that honour, equal 

 to the Garter with us, for literary merit. I must, there- 

 fore, protest against any interpretation of intended slight 

 in this case, for my meaning is the very reverse. 



I believe the practice followed in England has decided 

 the conduct of other nations. In Latin he is now always 

 called Linnaeus, even by the Swedes, and, what is still 

 more striking, the French now write Linnaeus, even in their 

 own language. I presume your correspondent had never 

 a design of recommending, for Latin composition, any 

 thing but Linnaeus; and I hope he will not hereafter think 

 me pertinacious, nor in any respect blameable, if, for the 

 above reasons, I continue the same practice in English, 

 leaving every one to followme, or not, at his discretion, and 

 trusting to time and experience for a final decision. I 

 must express my regret that the title of the Linnaoan So- 

 ciety, as I would always write it, has in its charter been 

 spelt Linnean. The latter had in view the name of Linne, 

 and was so far proper; but I have always conceived the 

 diphthong to be more classical, and if we preserve the word 

 Linnaeus in English, undoubtedly more correct. In this 

 point, most certainly every writer may judge for himself, 

 and in speaking there luckily is no ambiguity. 

 I remain, Sir, 



Yours, Sec. 



J as. Edw. Smith. 



