48 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINNAEUS 



This young Swede, so unlike himself, so full of ( enthu- 

 siasm without passion, a still intoxication of the soul/ 

 might perchance interpret the meanings for him. 



Ray laid the foundation-stone of the natural history 

 building. Nothing is entirely new : but Linnaeus carried 

 into execution what had been only an idea in previous 

 minds. He very early attempted a natural method, and 

 studied the English and French systems ; but it is 

 evident he thought too many links wanting in the 

 chain to render it the readiest guide to botanical know- 

 ledge. Linnaeus's own aim in science, the devising of 

 a complete natural system of botany, was also the object 

 of a succession of extraordinary men ; besides Tourne- 

 fort's system and Vaillant's there were those of the 

 Jussieus, De Candolle, and many others. Adanson 

 alone proposed sixty-five systems, none of which have 

 been received. Linnaeus always expected a perfect 

 natural system to be made, and all his botanical studies 

 tended to that end ; but he admitted ' he had been un- 

 able to complete this, the final aim of botany.' ' The 

 key to a complete natural method,' Linnaeus observes in 

 his diary, ' is not, perhaps, more easy to discover than 

 the quadrature of the circle.' Even among the students 

 of the peaceful science there is dissension (though less 

 than among those of the most peaceful, theology). The 

 French were themselves judged and read off by this young 

 foreigner, who was valiant for the truth and took up 

 the cudgels warmly in defence of the dead. Linnaeus 

 writes (later) to Haller : ' Jussieu is my friend, and so 



