Life of jLinnaus. 161 



plain myself; LinriEeus appeared to me to be tile first who clearly 

 comprehended the diflerence between the natural and artificial 

 methods ; and, notwithstanding the vivacity of his disposition and 

 his desire to regulate the whole of natural science, he did, I say, 

 very clearly understand that the number of objects known in his 

 time, and the manner in which they were described, were insuffi- 

 cient to lead to a true and regular natural method ; be therefore re- 

 sorted, in practice, to a system purely artificial, and to fragments of 

 natural order for study and meditation. He has, very formally, and 

 with frequent repetitions, said that the artificial system was provis- 

 ional, good for finding names, and nothing more, but that the natural 

 method was the true end of science and the most worthy of giving 

 a direction to the labors of naturalists ; hence he gave private les- 

 sons to his favorite pupils, and allowed no occasion to pass of indu- 

 cing them to appreciate their importance. But the learned world 

 has committed, in this matter, two curious and contradictory errors; 

 some, like Buffbn, constantly reproach him, for having in his sexual 

 system brought together objects of different natures, as if this bring- 

 ing together was not inherent in every artificial method, which can 

 only be compared to a simple dictionary, — and as if Linnaeus had 

 not corrected these chance arrangements in his fragments of natural 

 order ; others, and those too who are exclusively called Linnseans, 

 have considered the artificial system as the whole of science ; they 

 have adopted as a permanent order what their master had furnished 

 only as provisional; they have abandoned with disdain the research- 

 es of that natural order which Linnaeus had declared to be the true 

 end of science ; thus contracting this great man to their narrow con- 

 ceptions. They thus act in contradiction to the principles which he 

 professed, and in attaching themselves to the exterior form of his 

 writings, they have lost sight of the depth of them. Linnaeus is 

 much greater than the pretended Linnaeans would make us believe, 

 and I have no doubt, if he could appear among us again, he would 

 be their greatest adversary. But, truth will make its way every 

 where ; artificial methods are reduced to their true value and proper 

 rank, the art of finding names, and each one feels, at present, that 

 a natural method, well understood, is the genuine expression of true 

 science. D. C. 



Vol. XXV.— No. L 21 



