LINNAEUS TO LAMARCK 27 



lion, Felis leo. All these second names are the 

 names of the six species of the one genus — 

 Felis. As an example in botany take the genus 

 pine. According to Linnaeus the pine is Pinus 

 abies; the fir, Pinus picea; the larch, Pinus 

 larix; the Italian pine, Pinus pinea; the Si- 

 berian stone pine Pinus cembra; the knee 

 timber, Pinus mughus; the common pine, 

 Pinus silvestris. The seven second names ap- 

 ply to the seven species of the genus Pinus. 



But this is not all. Besides grouping the 

 species into genera, Linnaeus classified certain 

 genera as belonging to the same "order." 

 Again he arranged these "orders" in "classes," 

 all these classes belonged to one of the two 

 great "kingdoms," vegetable and animal. 



Not only was all this of great practical value 

 but its theoretical influence has been incalcu- 

 lable. Linnaeus never saw, and probably 

 would not have dared to proclaim if he had, 

 that the resemblances which made his group- 

 ing possible, indicated a relationship based on 

 descent from common ancestors. This was 

 left for men of greater penetration and courage 

 living in a less theological age. Prelates who 

 smiled on the obscene debaucheries of Louis 

 the XV. had Linnaeus' writings prohibited 

 from papal states, because they proved the 

 existence of sex in plants. 



