NATURAL SYSTEMS.— MACLEAY. 201 
that he has left comparatively little to be done, as regards 
the definition of natural genera, by those who come 
after him. All must admire the acumen, judgment, and | 
extensive knowledge which this celebrated man pos- | 
sessed, and which shines forth in the admirable manner | 
in which he grouped those objects which were his pecu- 
liar study. Yet, while we do justice to his memory in 
this respect, we must reprobate those atheistical theories, 
no less impious than absurd, which he has introduced 
in his writings, — theories which are inconsistent with 
his own words, and which are too ridiculous even to be 
repeated. 
(257.) The circular system of MacLeay, as following 
in the order of succession, is now to be noticed. We have 
seen that Lamarck, so far back as 1815, had not only po- 
sitively declared his conviction that the natural series was 
neither simple nor linear, but that he had given a table 
indicating a union of all the large divisions of the animal 
world ; but this, after all, was but the first glimpse of 
these important discoveries regarding the fundamental 
principles of the natural system which were first made 
known by, the Hore Entomologice. Lamarck, like- 
wise, although he partially traced the animal circle, had 
no true perceptions of the course it was taking. His 
table, in fact, was not unlike an architectural drawing, 
where the great rules of perspective had been pretty 
well adhered to, but which rules could not be ex- 
plained by the artist upon their true principle, having 
been drawn merely by the help of a remarkably accu- 
rate eye. Here, then, is one of the chief merits of 
the system of Lamarck, a system which must certainly 
be considered as the first promulgation of any uni- 
versal law in natural classification. 
(258.) The Hore Entomologice, unluckily for stu- 
dents, can only be thoroughly understood by the adept, 
since the results and observations are explained in dif- 
ferent parts, the style is somewhat desultory, and the 
groups, forthe most part, are rather indicated than defined. 
The whole, in short, is what it professes to be, more a 
