INTRODUCTION. 23 



genius arose destined to restore order, who, survey- 

 ing the immense mass of materials with a sagacity 

 and penetration unparalleled in botanical research, 

 and seizing, as if by intuition, the grand traits of 

 character calculated to form the ground-work of a 

 philosophical division, detected the clue by which he 

 was to extricate himself from the intricacies of the 

 labyrinth, and rear the superstructure of a legi- 

 timate method ; so that the touch of his skilful hand 

 was no sooner applied to the work, than the trees, as 

 if moved by the music of Orpheus, arranged them- 

 selves around him. This great and illustrious na- 

 turalist was the celebrated Linnaeus, founder of the 

 sexual system, and prince of all botanists, who de- 

 ducing his rules of method from the most incontro- 



o 



vertible of all principles, and establishing the laws 

 of generic and specific distinction, and even rules 

 of legitimate definition,* introduced into the study 

 of botany a simplicity of system, a perspicuity of 

 arrangement, and a precision of language, which 

 have elevated it to the high rank it now holds in the 

 scale of human knowledge, as well as allured to the 

 study of the science men of the most distinguised abi- 

 lities, and excited that ardour for botanical investi- 

 gation which characterizes the present age. Of the 

 immediate disciples of Linnaeus, the most dis- 

 tinguised were Kalm, Hasselquist, Lcefling, and 

 Koenig, all of whom travelled in pursuit of new 



* Vide. Lin. Phil. Bot, 



