NATURAL HISTORY. I'O^ 



lusophers, and figure away as men of original ge- 

 nius. This preposterous conversion of varieties 

 into species, and of species into genera, has pro- 

 duced infinite injury to the progress of real know- 

 ledge, and has barricaded the approach to the 

 temple of science by a fortification of hard words. 

 Sciolists of this description hold the same rank 

 in natural science, that special pleaders do in law, 

 and scholastics in philosophy. I have discovered 

 a new genus in botany, exclaims one of these pre- 

 tenders. What, a new plant ! no, but that a 

 plant well known and often described as of the 

 some generic character, can be distinguished, in 

 its different appearances, by certain discrepan- 

 ces, which authorise a new discrimination of no- 

 menclature. The truth is, that all these great 

 discoveries are nominal, not real; and are found- 

 ed on fortuitous, not natural circumstances. I 

 liave seen a white deer — a white moose — and a 

 white squirrel. Would it not be entirely ridicu- 

 lous to arrange these accidental varieties into 

 new species ^ The natural color of the jackall 

 is yellow : — Suppose that the prairie wolf resem- 

 bles that animal in all other respects, would we 

 hesitate to pronounce it a jackall ? Look at the 

 aiineralogical synonymes of Allan, and you v/ill 

 see the infinite difficulties which a student of 



niineralogy has to encounter. Let us take a 

 II 2 



