68 The Life and Writings of 



appeared in Sicily, in 1810, and, therefore, at the age of 

 twenty-seven years. It is a reproduction of the portrait 

 of Rafinesque which constitutes the frontispiece of that 

 volume. On it was based the painting owned by Doctor 

 William Kent Gilbert, of Philadelphia, which is repro 

 duced by Chase in his sketch of Rafinesque in Potters 

 American Monthly, previously mentioned. The portrait 

 as there presented loses some of its charm and its unique 

 character. The picture is a very interesting one in that 

 it so well shows some of the peculiar features thus early 

 developing in the mental life of the naturalist. The 

 wide range which his studies and his activities already 

 had assumed is indicated by the ornamentation of 

 the plate. Modelling his work after Linnaeus he sought 

 to establish it on probity and philosophy. They con 

 stitute the foundation stones of the character which he 

 hoped to build. The birds of the air, the animals and 

 plants of the fields, the fishes and mollusks of the 

 waters, are all included in the illustration as reminders 

 of the diverse directions in which his energies had been 

 expended. He was a merchant, and the son of a mer 

 chant; he had been a traveller; and so, in the offing, 

 there appears a ship under full sail. A happy conceit 

 this, if we only pardon the bit of personal vanity which 

 it implies. 



