234 OPINIONS ON MR. NEWMAN's SPHINX VESPIFORMIS. 



have been induced to employ such arguments. "It is," says 

 he, " a very convenient mode of getting rid of an antagonist; 

 as they have only to raise the hue and cry against him for 

 disputing a Bible-truth, and the affair is settled. Here, how- 

 ever, are an English, Scotch, and American divine quoting 

 Scripture against each other, each for his favourite number, 

 seven, two, and three. The Bible was intended to direct our 

 moral conduct and religious belief. No one but a madman, 

 a fanatic, or an interested knave, can pretend to tell us that it 

 is an encyclopgedia of science." 



Setting, however, these Scriptural references aside, the idea 

 which Mr. Newman has stated in the pages referred to, viz., 

 that of the superiority of one of the divisions of any natural 

 group, and of its central situation, is an extremely happy 

 one and deserves much consideration ; and it is worthy of 

 observation, that Fries had, ten years ago, employed the terms 

 centrum and radii to distinguish the typical and aberrant 

 divisions of any groups. Mr. MacLeay, indeed, asserts that 

 the former term did not imply the centre of a circle, but that 

 site in its circumference occupied by the normal form or 

 perfection of the particular structure common to the superior 

 group of which it forms a part ; in like manner, the term ixtdii 

 is stated by him to be applied to those groups, likewise in 

 the circumference, which lead from one centrum or type to 

 another. Although such, indeed, may be a fair interpretation 

 of M. Fries' words, I can scarcely think that he would have 

 employed such unequivocal terms as centrum and radii, with- 

 out wishing to impress the idea of the former occupying the 

 centre of the circle. 



Mr. Newman observes, " Be the system of nature discovered 

 when it may, it will never be found that Appia via which 

 Linnaeus has made it out to be, but rather like the Cretan 

 labyrinth ; and whoever may happen to be the fortunate 

 Theseus, must undertake the task of showing the way to his 

 competitors, until it becomes so well known that a map of 

 the road (a systematic catalogue) may be drawn for the use 

 of all." Let us, however, who are the disciples of this great 

 man, be careful that not a single gem be withdrawn from his 

 gorgeous coronet. Linn^us knew well that the natural 

 system was very different to that artificial one set forth in 

 his works, although he gave to the latter the name of S?/stema 



