134 ON SYSTEMATIC ZOOLOGY. 
writings will always possess some authority, and whose 
opinions, if not followed, should always be consulted, 
would be an unpardonable omission. Without some 
acquaintance with the labours of these princes of the 
zoological world, no one can hope to extend the bound- 
aries of science; nor will their reputation suffer by 
the occasional fallacy of their opinions ; for that defect, 
incident to all, is amply compensated by the vast acces- 
sion of valuable facts which each has contributed to 
our science. These systems, however, with the excep- 
tion of that of Lamarck, are artificial, inasmuch as they 
represent the scale of being as simple, and confound 
analogy with affinity. 
(186.) We commence with the system of Aristotle, 
the great father of natural history, whose comprehen- 
sive views of nature first laid the foundation of all that 
has been done by his successors. That part of his 
celebrated work which treats of the vertebrated animals 
will be best understood by the following table, translated 
from that given in the Linnean Transactions (vol. xvi. 
p- 24.), by one whose labours in the same field renders 
his name worthy of being associated with that of the 
renowned philosopher of Stagyra : — 
