PllEFACE. V 



strict followers of Linnaeus (in this country alone) have 

 so long, but so ineifectually opposed. The first has been 

 designated as the natural, and the other the artificial sy- 

 stem; and, without entering into a critical disquisition 

 on these definitions, it will be sutficient to observe, that 

 b}' the Artificial System we bend nature to conform to 

 certain arbitrary principles, which we lay down and to 

 which we insist all her productions known and unknown 

 will conform ; while in the Natural method, we endea- 

 vour by tracing her modifications, to adapt our system to 

 that which appears to regulate her operations. In the 

 one we give laws, in the other receive them ; by the first 

 we are taught to believe that the highest attainment 

 of the science, is that of ascertaining the name of an ob- 

 ject in our Museum, or of giving a new one ; we record 

 it in our favourite system as a grammarian enters a new 

 word in his dictionary, and there the matter terminates. 

 Where the artificial system ends, the natural begins ; 

 for we then proceed to the investigation of affinities 

 founded on anatomical construction, economy, and geo- 

 graphic distribution ; our attention ceases to be confined 

 to individuals, and extends to large groups; general facts 

 enable us to draw general conclusions, till the mind be- 

 gins faintly to discern a vast and mighty plan, by which 

 the zones of the earth are peopled by their own respec- 

 tive races of animate beings ; blending their confines 

 unto each other with divine harmony, beauty, and use- 

 fulness. 



That these inquiries and results have had a most won- 

 derful effect on the natural sciences of late years, is abun- 

 dantly evident. Geology, a subject hardly thought of in 

 this country a few years ago, is now found to be a science 

 of the first importance ; with this, however, Conchology 

 is so intimately connected, that without a certain know- 

 ledge of it, the geologist is frequently unal)le to prosecute 

 inquiries of the most interesting nature ; and there is lit- 

 tle doubt but that Botany has been raised to the rank it 

 now so justly holds, soUly because its natural system 

 has been more gencrall) studied and advocated in this 



