LINNAEUS. 373 



It then languished in France during three centuries ; 

 its root-leaves began to wither, and the plant was 

 ready to perish. Towards the sixteenth century, 

 however, it yielded a slight flower (Csesalpinus), 

 so frail that the gentlest breeze might seem sufficient 

 to detach it from its slender stalk. This flower bore 

 no fruit. Towards the seventeenth century, the 

 stem, which had been so long without appearing, 

 shot up to a great height ; but its leaves were few, 

 and no flower appeared. In the early spring of this 

 happy period, however, when a gentle warmth had 

 succeeded the frosts of winter, this stem yielded a 

 fresh flower, to which succeeded a fruit (C. Bauhin) 

 that nearly attained maturity. Soon after, this splen 

 did stem was surrounded with numerous leaves and 

 flowers." 



These figurative descriptions, however, have no 

 place in the more technical writings of Linnaeus, 

 where, on the contrary, all is brief, clear, and pre- 

 cise ; but, as we have already presented some speci- 

 mens of these, it is mmecessary to make any addi- 

 tional remarks. 



Notwithstanding the attacks that have been made 

 on his mineralogical system, it is at least deserv- 

 ing of praise, as showing the practicability of ar- 

 ranging the objects belonging to this kingdom of 

 nature according to strict method. In botany his 

 merits were transcendent, and with the mention of 

 that science his name is uniformly associated. He 

 found it in a rude and unsettled state, and left it 

 so admirably disposed, that the beauty and prac- 

 tical utility of his method recommended it to the 

 cultivators of science in all countries. Nor were 

 his labours in the animal kingdom less successful. 



