OF SYSTEMS AND METHODS. 123 
arrangement by naturalists. But, if we consider their 
real meaning —a method should signify an artificial, and 
a system a natural arrangement of objects. As many 
systematists, however, have aimed at giving a natural 
arrangement, though with various success ; and none 
having a perfect conception of it, it might, perhaps, 
be as well to call every arrangement whose object is 
confessedly artificial, a method; and that which aims at 
the plan of nature, a system.” * The objection, how- 
ever, to this attempt to distinguish systems from me- 
thods, is this, that arrangements, confessedly artificial, 
are sometimes much more natural (that is to say, con- 
taining more natural combinations) than those which 
are here denominated systems, while we are not without 
instances of others, professing to aim at the plan of 
nature. or “ arranged according to organisation,” which 
are eminently artificial. Such being the case, the dis- 
tinction here proposed, however excellent in theory, 
cannot be applied in practice, and we are thus com- 
pelled to use the two words as synonymous. 
(176.) The diversity of systems, therefore, may be | 
infinite, because there is no end to the different modes 
by which we may arrange natural objects, from charac- 
ters or peculiarities belonging to the objects themselves. 
Some of these systems will exhibit much more harmo- 
nious combinations than others. Animals, obviously 
allied in habits and appearance, will be kept together in 
one system, while in another they are dissevered, and 
placed wide apart. Hence has originated the term of 
natural systems as applied to the former, and artificial 
systems as given to the latter. Such are the distinctions 
which most zoologists have made between these two 
modes of arrangement. Yet a little reflection will con- 
vince us that they are equally vague with that just no- 
ticed. An artificial system may be based upon erroneous 
principles, and may present many unnatural assemblages, 
yet parts thereof may be very natural; on the other 
hand, a natural system may contain many artificial 
* Int. to Ent. v. 356. 
