of the Dichotonwus Sijstem. ^SS 



idea of regarding it as a modern invention, or that Peter 

 Ramus ha^ the merit of its establishment." Now be it ob- 

 served, that I never said that Peter Ramus had the merit of 

 its estabhshment. My words are, " Those divisions so much 

 insisted on by Peter Ramus, which consist of two members, 

 one of which is contradictory of the other, are sure to be 

 complete ; but, unfortunately, one or both are always too com- 

 prehensive." Dr. Fleming adds, " In the earliest writings ot 

 the world, those of the Jewish legislator, positive and negative 

 characters are used in classifying organized beings, exhibiting 

 not indistinctly the rudiments of the dichotomous method." 

 No doubt. It is precisely because his writings are the 

 earliest in the world, that positive and negative characters 

 are used by Moses. But, observe, he does not use them 

 always; and, therefore, if it be Scripture that is to afford us 

 rules for natural history, no absolute rule is laid down on 

 this particular subject. It is really surprising how this eleventh 

 chapter of Leviticus is shovelled into our faces by various 

 writers. Another clerical naturalist has supported the qua- 

 ternary division, because in this very chapter grasshoppers 

 are divided into four kinds, the word translated "beetle" 

 in the Bible being considered by Hebrew scholars to allude 

 to a kind of locust. Dr. Harris, on the other hand, in his 

 « Natural History of the Bible," gives the Mosaic airangement 

 of natural history as into triads, thus. 



{1. Grass. 

 2. Herbage. 

 3. Trees. 

 C 1 . Animalcules. 



2. Aquatic Animals ...^ 2. Fishes. 



(3. Birds. 



p. Cattle. 



3. Terrestrial Animals I 2. Wild beasts. 



(^3. Reptiles, 



Another clergyman afterwards, looking also to Scripture, de- 

 clared seven to be the correct number. Where Doctors 

 differ, wlio shall decide? Clergymen, it must be allowed, 

 whether Catiiolic or Protestant, have too great a propensity 

 to silence all intjuiry with a text. It is a very convenient mode 

 of getting rid of an antagonist; as they have only to raise the 

 hue and cry against him for disi)uting a Bible trutli, and llie 

 affair is settled. Here, however, are an English, Scotch, and 

 American divine, quoting Scripture against each other, each 

 for his favourite number, seven, two, or three. Solonion 

 moreover distributes animals by a (juaternary division. Am 

 3 K 2 1 "^t 



