PREFACE. 



cessity of frequent changes in the arrangement, to 

 keep pace with the progress of science. Within the 

 space of thirty years, his system passed through twelve 

 editions, the greater numher of which were revised by 

 himself : these in succession, by the numerous altera- 

 tions made in the characters, number and distribu- 

 tion of the genera, evinced the depreciated value of 

 those which preceded, and predicted the temporary 

 excellence of all that should follow. The blind adhe- 

 rence of British naturalists to the systematical ar- 

 rangement of animals which LINNAEUS recommend- 

 ed, which led them to neglect the important services 

 of LISTER and RAY, and reject the methods which 

 these illustrious observers had proposed, and their 

 hostility to every reformation, appear the more re- 

 markable, when it is considered that his Mineralo- 

 gical System was arrested in its progress by the fee- 

 ble barriers which WOODWARD and DACOSTA had 

 raised up. Perhaps a part of this influence may be 

 traced to the purchase of the Linnean cabinet by 

 its present illustrious possessor Sir JAMES ED- 

 WARD SMITH, and the interest in favour of its 

 former owner which this circumstance could not 

 fail to excite in this country. At all events, there 

 is reason to rejoice that this influence, once so 

 powerful, is on the decline ; and to hope that the 



