HISTORY OF BOTANY. 313 



relations. Zaluzian of Bohemia laboured to perfect the natu- 

 ral groups of former botanists ; he is the first of the moderns 

 who positively affirmed the existence of stamens and pistils in 

 all species of plants, and suggested the necessity of these 

 organs. 



But, notwithstanding the labours of many learned men, little 

 real improvement would have been made in the science of 

 botany, had there not, at that time, existed some minds of su- 

 perior genius, who turned their attention to tracing some proper 

 method of classification. These were Gesner, Clusius, Ca3sal- 

 pinus, and Bauhin ; of the latter name were two brothers, 

 "both of whom are deservedly celebrated. 



Gesner, a native of Switzerland, born in 1516, was of an 

 obscure and humble origin, but possessed of a powerful and 

 penetrating mind. He attempted to make a general collection 

 of the objects of Natural History ; he explored the Alps, and 

 discovered many plants until then unknown. He is distin- 

 guished from those who had gone before him, in his sugges- 

 tions that there existed in the vegetable kingdom groups or 

 genera, each one composed of many species, united by similar 

 characters of the flower and fruit. Soon after the publication 

 of this opinion, botanists began to understand that the different 

 families of plants have among themselves natural relations, 

 founded upon resemblances and affinities, and that the most 

 obvious are not always the most important. These are fun- 

 damental truths ; and the distinction of species, the establishment 

 of genera, and of natural families, seemed to follow of course 

 after these principles were once established. 



Clusius was born in 1526 ; his parents had destined him for 

 the profession of law, but his decided taste for botany induced 

 him to abandon this profession. He was learned in the ancient 

 and modern languages, but his enthusiasm for natural history 

 induced him to lay aside every other pursuit. He travelled 

 over almost all the west of Europe, in order to make discove- 

 ries in the vegetable kingdom ; and soon excelled all the bota- 

 nists of the age in the knowledge both of native plants and 

 exotics. He had the direction of the imperial garden at Vi- 

 enna, and afterwards was a public professor of botany at Ley- 

 den. His passion for the study of plants was not enfeebled by 

 age or infirmities ; his enthusiasm in this science terminated 

 only with his life. Before his time, the art of describing 

 plants with precision and accuracy was unknown ; but unlike 

 the descriptions of his predecessors, his were neither faulty 



Gesner How distinguished from his predecessors Clusius the first who 

 proposed to divide plants into classes. 



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