196 Country Rambles. 



Chester, at least in a precise and methodical manner, 

 appears to date from the establishment of the Linnaean 

 system, which was one hundred years ago. Doubtless 

 the neighbourhood was already remarkable for its love of 

 plants, since men do not jump at things like the Linnaean 

 system unless they have taste for them beforehand; but 

 prior to the time of Linnaeus, the difficulties attendant on 

 botany as a science were too great for it to be any- 

 where a popular pastime. It was in Lancashire, without 

 question, in life and power, though not in determined 

 fact. There is reason to believe that botany, in some 

 sort, was cultivated in Lancashire as far back as the 

 time of Ray, who described, in his "Synopsis," nearly 

 four-fifths of the British plants, and frequently refers to 

 north-country botanists in connection with the localities 

 of rare species. They were probably the originals of those 

 keen observers and ardent cultivators whose succession 

 has never yet intermitted. Ray's work made its first 

 appearance in 1670. What is meant by the "Linnaean 

 System" must be learnt from books devoted to its eluci- 

 dation. It will suffice to say 'of it here that it established 

 a method of classifying plants which gave it vantage, not 

 only for successfully clearing the ground of difficulties 

 which were fast becoming insuperable to smaller schemes 

 and threatening the very existence of botany, but 

 rendered everything intelligible and delightful. No 

 really practical system had been devised previously to 

 the time of Linnaeus, and though his classes and orders 

 are now superseded by the grander and profounder 





