Life of Linnaeus. 159 
am sorry to excite doubt upon a story so interesting and honorable 
to science, but I am, in conscience, obliged to add that Mr. J. E. 
Smith told me that there was not the least truth in it. ; 
I may add that this learned man has used these collections, i ina 
manner the most worthy of their origin. He has published several 
works in which by having the original samples, he has removed diffi- 
culties to which the laconicisms of Linneus had given rise; he has 
often had the complacency to resolve the doubts which naturalists 
have had respecting the sense of the writings of Linneus ; finally he 
has permitted those who had difficulties on particular points, to con- 
sult the herbal, and has granted this permission with all the grace and 
goodness which enhance the price of it. I cannot recall without 
emotion the hours I have passed with him, occupied in running over 
this precious depot, and I cannot speak of it without rendering hom- 
age to his memory. 
At the death of Smith, the Linnean Society of London of which 
he was the President, and which was founded about the time that 
this herbal was brought to England, acquired the collections of Lin- 
neus enlarged with all those of Smith; these herbals deposited in a 
place consecrated to the sciences, are thus preserved for the future 
exploration of botanists. 
After thus furnishing, both from the work of Mr. Fee, and from 
our own recollections, the facts which appear to us the most valuable 
in the life of Linnzus, this would appear to be the place to endeavor 
to appreciate the services which he has rendered to science ;_ but this 
undertaking would be immense, and would deserve to be treated of 
in a special work. We shall limit ourselves to the remark that the 
eminent and incontestible service which he bas rendered to natural 
history, has been to create a language for it, in relation both to terms 
and to names. 
Before his time, the terms had no precise meaning, and every 
body in describing animals and especially vegetables, employed 
either vague terms or periphrases, which rendered their writings 
long, obscure, and difficult of comparison with each other. Linnzus 
gave precision to the terms, and created, especially in botany, many 
which were clear and elegant; he employed this new language with 
remarkable address and ability, and thus changed the face of all 
works of description. Doubtless, in proportion as natural beings 
have become better known in their details, it has become necessary 
to modify the sense of some terms and to add others; but it has 
