94 The Life and Writings of 



where a collection of all the genera and species he had established, 

 with well-authenticated labels, or that his contemporaries did not 

 follow in his steps, or at least preserve the traditions of his doings, 

 instead of decrying him and appealing to foreign authority against 

 him. Tracing his course as a naturalist during his residence in 

 this country, it is plain that he alarmed those with whom he had 

 intercourse, by his innovations, and that they preferred to lean 

 upon the authority of the great naturalists of the age, then resid 

 ing in Europe, who, however, knew little of the special natural 

 history of this country, than to trust a somewhat hasty man who 

 was living among them, and who had collected a vast amount of 

 information from all parts of the States, upon a variety of objects 

 then entirely new to science. From what I can learn of Rafin- 

 esque, I am satisfied that he was a better man than he appeared. 

 His misfortune was his prurient desire for novelties and his rash 

 ness in publishing them, and yet both in Europe and America 

 he has anticipated most of his contemporaries in the discovery of 

 new genera and species in those departments of science which he 

 has cultivated most perseveringly, and it is but justice to restore 

 them to him, whenever it can be done.&quot; 



To this opinion should be added that of Doctor 

 Charles Girard, who, writing two years later,* says: 



&quot;... We find the laudable desire of attempting to bring back 

 into use the long-forgotten genera of Rafinesque, which fell into 

 disuse because of their own imperfection, and if they have not 

 passed into the common nomenclature of the day it was owing 

 to their defect more than to the partiality of naturalists; for we 

 may well imagine how any one would feel when rebuilding another s 

 work, as little known to the author as to the commentators them 

 selves. 



*Proc. Acad. Nat. Sciences, Phila., VIII, 165-213, 1856. 



