156 : REVIEWS. [May, 



Witli these remarks we entirely concur, and sincerely hope that 

 the perusal of Miss Brightwell's interesting ' Life of Linnseus ' 

 may be the means of extending the love of the delightful science 

 of botany, and prove beneficial to all who truly desire to become 

 better acquainted with this portion of the works of our great and 

 all- wise Creator. S. B. 



Note on S. B.'s Revieio of 'A Life of Linnceus^ 



We believe that both Dr. Pulteney and Dr. Maton, who com- 

 piled ' A General View of the Writings of Linnaevis/ were both 

 members of the Linnsean Society. Dr. Maton was certainly a 

 member. Still the reviewer's charge against the Society is not 

 groundless ; for these valuable works, or, strictly speaking, these 

 two editions of a work on Linnaeus, contain only a catalogue 

 raisonne of the great man's writings. The authors do not en- 

 title their compilation or compilations a biography of the most 

 eminent of all naturalists. There may exist in the arcana of the 

 Linnsean Society materials for a life of their patron saint, or 

 there may not ; the keepers or trustees of these treasures only 

 know. 



Theophrastus, not Aristotle, is the real father of botany in the 

 West, and probably in the East also. 



That Linnseus did not despise gold is testified by Pabricius, 

 who knew him intimately, and who excuses his parsimony by the 

 extreme poverty this eminent man had to struggle with from his 

 youth, and till he had nearly reached middle age. 



This memorialist candidly affirms that his frugality never de- 

 generated into avarice ; and also that in non-reception of fees 

 for instruction he was generous to excess, especially in the case 

 of foreigners. 



That he was desirous of fame, or ambitious^ as some would en- 

 title this feeling, is one of the infirmities of noble minds. If he 

 was cupiclus laudis, desirous of commendation, he certainly was 

 no niggard of his praises. If he locked up his coffers, he opened 

 his heart in another way ; and although many words will not Gil 

 a bushel, yet a good word spoken in season is more valuable 

 than a pecuniary gift ; " it is like an apple of gold in a picture 

 of silver." 



