ADVANTAGES OF ARTIFICIAL SYSTEMS. 193 



consists in making us acquainted with an object by 

 the shortest and most easy way possible ; and that 

 all idea of following the order of nature should be 

 totally abandoned, as inconsistent with this primary 

 object. It is one of the greatest merits of Linnaeus 

 — who knew, better than most of those who have 

 come after him, the true difference between the 

 systems in question, — that he saw the truth of this 

 position, and acted up to it. His primary object was 

 to make things known by their names in the most 

 easy manner ; and he had the sagacity to foresee 

 that, by this plan, he should win over to the study of 

 nature, numbers of ordinary minds who would other- 

 wise have regarded it as too intricate and difficult ; 

 and he succeeded to admiration. The world was 

 astonished at the simplicity of his system; and 

 delighted to find they could ascertain, with so little 

 study, the scientific name of an animal or a plant in 

 that book which was looked upon as the mirror of 

 nature, — as, to a certain degree, it really was. To 

 blame this great genius, therefore, for his unnatural 

 combinations, is to blame him for what may almost 

 be termed one of his greatest merits. He knew 

 that his system, in many parts, made some approach 

 to what he imagined was the system of nature ; but 

 he also knew, that to attempt following this up into 

 all the details of his work, would be altogether 

 premature, if not impossible. All this, we repeat, 

 he well knew, and he framed his system accordingly. 

 The perfection, in short, of an artificial arrangement 

 is, that it should be thoroughly artificial : the divi- 

 sions, as far as possible, should be -made absolute ; 

 and no affinities, however natural, or however pal- 

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