MEMOIR OF GESNER. 



In several of the biographical memoirs accompany- 

 ing former volumes of this Work, we have, given 

 a record of the labours, and attempted to appreciate 

 the merits, of some of the most eminent naturalists 

 who flourished in the sixteenth century. Such of 

 them belonging to that early period as deserve to 

 be held in remembrance, are comparatively few in 

 number ; but these few are entitled to our warmest 

 gratitude. It was by their means that Natural 

 History was enabled to emerge from the obscurity 

 in which it was sunk, in common with every other 

 department of knowledge, during the long intellec- 

 tual night of the dark ages. The generations who 

 may be described as having " eyes but who saw 

 not, ears but heard not, and understandings but un- 

 derstood not," had given place to others in which 

 the senses and faculties were beginning to be con- 

 verted to their proper use. Individuals apjDeared 

 in various countries making observations for them- 

 selves, collecting and appropriating the knowledge 

 which had been transmitted by the sages of Greece 



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