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lost and Rae Ue 
ON THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF SYSTEMATIC ZOOLOGY. 
CHAPTER I. 
PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. —- ALLEGED DIFFERENCE  BE- 
TWEEN SYSTEMS AND METHODS. — OBJECTIONS THERETO. — 
DIVERSITY OF SYSTEMS. — NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL SYS- 
TEMS. — MIXED SYSTEMS. — REQUISITES OF A NATURAL SYS- 
TEM. 
(174.) Tur arrangement of objects, according to a 
scale or table of their supposed relations or qualities, is 
called a sysTEM, 4 METHOD, Or a CLASSIFICATION. We 
shall consider these words as synonymous, and as imply- 
ing ORDER, without which all knowledge is vague and 
disjointed. By system, therefore, we are able to gain not 
only a more ready acquaintance with an individual spe- 
cies, but also general ideas on the larger groups of 
which it forms but a part. System condenses and fa- 
cilitates knowledge, and is therefore essential to its ac- 
quirement. Even if the names of all natural objects 
were arranged alphabetically, as in a dictionary, there 
would be system and order in such a plan, for research 
would be facilitated. Whereas, if all these names were 
entered indiscriminately, the student would be at a loss 
at what page to find the particular name for which he 
was searching. 
(175.) Between a system and a method, many writers 
have drawn a distinction, and have used the two words in 
totally different senses. Kirby and Spence express them- 
selves on this subject in the following words : —“ Thus 
we hear of a natural method, and a natural system. Linné 
seems to have regarded the former of these terms as re- 
presenting the actual disposition of objects in nature, 
while by system he understands their classification and 
