THE 



ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL. 



Januartf — Aim/, 1 829. 



Art. LI. yi Letter to J. E. Bicheno, Esq., F.R.S., in exa- 

 mination of his Paper " On Systems and Methods " in the 

 Linnean Transactions. By W. S. MacLkay, Esq.y A.M.j 

 F.L.S., Sec. 



My dear Sir, 



I HAVE read your Paper " On Systems and Methods," in the Linnean 

 Transactions, with some degree of interest, as it derives no small im- 

 portance from being, as every word shews, clearly written " ex Cathedra.'^ 

 With a few exceptions, which I should hope have proceeded from inad- 

 vertency, it is, moreover, upon the whole, a liberal exposition of the 

 opinions prevalent among the Naturalists of the old Linnean School. 

 True it is, you think it necessary to shew your impartiality, and to bestow 

 some censure en passant on this School, but it requires no great pene- 

 tration to see that your Papei was intended for their peculiar circle, and 

 I therefore earnestly trust that your labours may not go unrewarded, and 

 that you may obtain all the honour and glory which you promised your- 

 self from the staunch Linueans, by this publication. 



I know enough of you to be convinced, that although, from the style 

 of your paper, you seem to wish to lay down your " principles of ar- 

 rangement" oracularly, still, rather than that your laws should be wholly 

 slighted, you would be most willing, nay, desirous to have them well 

 sifted and examined. I am convinced, I repeat, that you have too firm 

 an opinion of their soundness to believe for a moment, that they will 

 not come like pure gold from any crucible in which they may be assayed; 



Vol. IV. E E 



