ULYSSES ALDROVANDI. 19 



his History of Fishes was the work which procured 

 the patronage of the Emperor Ferdinand I. for the 

 Swiss Zoologist. Aldrovandi's life presents a con- 

 trast to that of his eminent contemporaries, in the 

 important point of its duration. Without perhaps 

 superior abilities or opportunities, but with an en- 

 ergy and perseverance of application which knew 

 no bounds, this venerable individual laboured most 

 assiduously to the last, and thus acquired a cele- 

 brity which has been obtained by few. He was 

 soon familiarly designated as the modern Pliny ; by 

 Haller he is characterised as the most skilful na- 

 turalist of his time ; and by the learned Bayle he 

 is described " as the most inquisitive man in the 

 world with regard to Natural History." 



But when an individual, however illustrious, is sepa- 

 rated from us by the lapse of centuries, it is no matte* 

 of astonishment if the finer traits of his character, 

 and many interesting incidents of his life, are found 

 somewhat obscured in the distant horizon. This 

 remark applies to the subject of our present memoir. 

 Commencing his career more than three hundred 

 years ago, we are scarcely to expect those full de- 

 tails which are so gratifying concerning our con- 

 temporaries and more immediate predecessors. After 

 every allowance, however, has been made on this ac- 

 count, we must still express our disappointment that 

 in turning to the most respectable sources of infor- 

 mation, we find a meagreness of detail, and a de- 

 gree of positive uncertainty, even respecting the 

 most important particulars, in our Naturalist's life 



