CRITICISM OF LINNAEUS loi 



is, perhaps, Hill's criticisms of Linnaeus. One example will 

 suffice ; Linnaeus is criticised for placing Myosuriis among the 

 pentandria polygynia and thus separating it from Ranunculus, 

 Adonis, etc. Hill remarked that thus to separate these plants 

 merely because the number of stamens in Myosurus is less than 

 in Rammculus is unreasonable since they agree in all other 

 essentials. He himself, however, made a similar error, for it 

 will be observed that in the system followed in the Herbal, 

 Ranunculus falls into the first class and Helleborus into the 

 second. 



These criticisms of Linnaeus, however, are not all of an 

 adverse nature ; in many places Hill does not stint his praise ; 

 and he does not fail, after describing each Genus, to mention its 

 position in the Linnaean System. 



Pulteney^ found it difficult "to reconcile the praises this 

 author bestows on Linnaeus, in many of his writings, with the 

 censures contained in his British Herbal." The difficulty is not 

 very apparent ; Hill sufficiently indicated his position in the 

 following passage taken from the Sleep of Plants. " If our 

 opinions have differed, 'tis upon a single Point ; your arrange- 

 ment of plants. In regard to that much greater article, the 

 establishing their distinctions, and ascertaining their characters, 

 I have always admired and reverenced you : to dispute your 

 determinations there, were to deny the characters of nature. 



" Free in the tribute of applause on this head, I have on the 

 other been as open in my censures ; equally uninfluenced by 

 envy, and by fear. It is thus science may be advanced ; and 

 you will permit me to say, thus men of candour should treat 

 one another." 



Linnaeus is also criticised in the Vegetable System, more 

 particularly for his unnecessary introduction of new names for 

 plants; but here again Hill is full of praises for Linnaeus's 

 descriptions of species. 



Although opposed to the Linnaean system Hill recognised 

 its value as a means of evolving order out of chaos, and to him 

 falls the credit of introducing it into England. 



^ Historical and Biographical Sketches of the Progress of Botany in England, 

 London, 1790. 



