. 241. NOMENCLATURE. 365 



enable us to survey and to understand it, and to acquire 

 some more exact knowledge of it, than that which consists in 

 a mere work of memory. The system would lose its applica- 

 tion if there was no nomenclature, and both, System and 

 Nomenclature, appear therefore equally important in re- 

 spect to the idea of Natural History, and they are connect- 

 ed with each other by means of the Characteristic. 



. 241. TRIVIAL NOMENCLATURE. 



In the trivial nomenclature the name is fixed 

 upon the species. 



The trivial nomenclature does not express the connexion 

 among those bodies, which it provides with names. Any 

 name, not destined to expi'ess this connexion, is termed a 

 Trivial Name, which rests accordingly upon the lowest 

 idea of the system, that is to say, upon the species. The 

 meaning attached here to a trivial name is somewhat differ- 

 ent from the trivial name as defined by LINN^F.US. The 

 latter consists of a mere adjective, substituted for the cha- 

 racter of the species : it is not properly a name (. 232.), 

 and can therefore never be used by itself, but only in 

 connexion with a name, as a denomination. 



It is a custom generally received, and in no way objec- 

 tionable, to provide the natural productions, and, above all, 

 those which are used in the arts of life, with particular 

 names, which, on account of their conciseness and simplici- 

 ty, are more convenient for use than the long and compound 

 systematic denominations. Moreover, it is supposed here, 

 that we are already acquainted with the object thus named, 

 or the name at least is not meant to express some farther 

 information, and so they are destined as it were, for a less 

 strict or scientific employment. But it would be blame- 

 able indeed, if, for the trivial nomenclature, we should ne- 

 glect the systematic one, and thus betray an indifference 

 towards the science itself, which could not but produce 

 evil consequences. 



