480 Mr. BiCHENO on Sijstems and Methods 



make no accumulations to his science, and all his particulars 

 would stand unconnected and discrepant throughout, without 

 the aid of abstract reasoning, l^esides, I am anxious to engage 

 the attention of persons accustomed to turn their observations to 

 the operations of the human mind, and to the instruments which 

 it emploj'S to perform its labours ; feeling assured that, by ob- 

 taining the cooperation of this class of philosophers, we shall 

 have great light thrown upon our subject; and that it will be one 

 means of attractin"' the notice of those who deliiiht in a laroe 

 and liberal treatment of science. While they impart to us a 

 philosophical solidity, in which I am apprehensive we are 

 wanting, we may hope to communicate to them a reciprocal 

 benefit, in some of those graces and charms to be derived from 

 the study of Nature, and in which perhaps they may be deficient. 



Without undervaluing the study of species, upon which a 

 great deal of our knowledge is built, it cannot be denied that 

 naturalists in general have been too often content with assigning 

 them names, and a place in the systems they have adopted ; and 

 this they have done without having an ulterior view to their 

 structure and functions, and the relations subsisting amongst 

 them. Much less have they kept in vie^v the end of generalizing 

 the particulars they are accumulating ; but they continue to heap 

 together a " ludis indigestarjiic moles," until they are actually 

 overwhelmed by their materials. To build up science skilfully, 

 the combination should go on with the collecting, or the super- 

 structure will exhibit neither use nor beauty. 



Mr. Roscoe has clearly illustrated the comparative merits of 

 the artificial and natural arrangements in Botany in a former 

 volume of the Transactions* ; and has satisfactorily proved, in 

 my estimation, that however admirable and comprehensive 

 the system of Jussieu may be, yet it ought not to supersede the 



* Trans. Liim. Soc. vol. xi. p. 50. 



use 



