RISE AND PROGRESS OF ZOOLOGY. 37 



cumbrous and inextricable mass of " good-for-nothing 

 lore," which confused, without instructing, the stu- 

 dent. The amiable and gentle Ray, on the contrary, 

 wanted the courage to do this : his own botanical 

 works * are loaded with descriptions, even then ob- 

 solete, from the early writers, and he ingrafted the 

 same useless lore, as he himself confesses, into the 

 pure nervous descriptions of his master Willughby. 



(16.) The publication of the Sy sterna Natures gave 

 to the study of Natural History a new form and a new 

 life. Naturalists were astonished and delighted to 

 see so much information condensed in so small a 

 compass, and arranged in such luminous order. In 

 those days, no other knowledge was sought for than 

 the correct name of an animal or a plant, — whether 

 it was known or unknown, — and what were its 

 distinguishing characters. No wonder, therefore, 

 that he who so admirably succeeded in communi- 

 cating this information, insured immediate applause, 

 and was suddenly raised to the rank of an oracle. 

 His merits could be at once appreciated ; no course 

 of previous study was requisite to comprehend them, 

 — no train of laborious investigation was essential to 

 reveal their beauties. This was the true cause of 

 the brilliant success experienced by Linnaeus, and 

 of the rapid adoption of his system. He rose into 

 favour with his sovereign. Natural History counted 

 kings and princes among her patrons. Linnaean 

 Societies were formed in different parts of Europe ; 

 and the disciples of the great Swede travelled and 



* Particularly in his Stirpium Europaearum extra Britan* 

 nias Nascentium Sylloge, — a compilation from the works of 

 Ciusius, Bauhinius, F. Columna, &c. 

 D 3 



