LINNiEUS. 263 



adaptation of specific^ or, as they were at first called, 

 trivial names. This contrivance, which he first used 

 in his Pan Suecicus, a dissertation printed in 1749, 

 extended to minerals in his Museum Tessinianum, 

 and subsequently to all the departments of zoology, 

 has perhaps rendered his works more popular than 

 any one of their merits besides. His specific differ- 

 ences were intended to be used as names ; but their 

 unavoidable length rendering this impracticable, and 

 the application of numeral figures to each species, 

 in Haller's manner, being still more burthensome to 

 the memory, all natural science would have been 

 ruined for want of a common language, were it not 

 for this simple and happy invention. By this means 

 we speak of every natural production in two words, 

 its generic and its specific name. No ambiguous com- 

 parisons or references are wanted, no presupposition 

 of any thing already known. The distinguishing 

 character of each object is mostly stamped in its 

 name ; and if this perfection of the art cannot al- 

 ways be attained, the memory is assisted, often very 

 ingeniously, with collateral information, indicating 

 the colour, the habit, or the qualities of the object 

 of our examination. The philosophical tribe of na- 

 turalists, for so they are called by themselves and 

 their admirers, do not therefore depreciate Linnaeus 

 when they call him a nomenclator. On the con- 

 trary, they celebrate him for a merit which no other 

 person has attained, and without which their own 

 discoveries and remarks, of whatever value, would 

 not be understood." 



In the preface to this work, which he dedicated to 

 the king and queen, we find the following passage, 

 which will enable the reader to form an estimate of 



