RISE AND PROGRESS OF ZOOLOGY. 45 



tural history, is beyond all doubt ; but it may safely 

 be affirmed, that its science, or its philosophy, 

 derived little or no direct benefit from his splendid 

 compositions. His character and his writings were 

 in complete accordance with those of the nation to 

 which he belonged ; and his immediate popularity 

 was the consequent result. From that time the 

 cultivators of zoology were divided into two schools ; 

 one party following the systematic investigation 

 inculcated by Linnaeus, the other ranged them- 

 selves under the banners of Buffon, and gathered 

 the flowers, without probing for the honey. 



(19.) The disciples of Linnaeus, whose proceed- 

 ings we shall first briefly sketch, followed, with 

 little deviation, the line of enquiry and the plan of 

 arranging their discoveries, pursued by their great 

 master. Artedi, who was among the earliest and 

 most eminent disciples of this school, studied fish : 

 and his Ichthyology is one of the most valuable 

 treatises of those animals we even now possess. By 

 the recommendation of Linnaeus, the wealthy Seba 

 intended to have engaged him in describing and 

 arranging the ichthyological portion of his volu- 

 minous work, already alluded to : but by the sudden 

 and premature death of young Artedi, occasioned 

 by his falling into one of the canals on returning at 

 night to his lodgings, this project was defeated. 

 Linnaeus, who edited the works of his friend and 

 pupil, prefixed to the volume an interesting Life of 

 its author, which will be perused with pleasure.* 

 The curious reader will find in the first part an 



* P. Artedi. Ichthyologia, sive Opera omnia de Piscibus. 

 Lug. Bat. 1738. 1 vol. 8vo. 



