198 ON SYSTEMATIC ZOOLOGY. 



be this: — The merits of a natural system are in pro- 

 portion to the number and universality of the facts which 

 it can explain by certain general laws. The system, 

 therefore, which developes principles of the widest ap- 

 plication, and brings the elements, if we may so term 

 them, of natural classification into the narrowest com- 

 pass, is that which obviously makes the nearest approach 

 to nature, and, therefore, deserves to be distinguished, 

 par excellence, as the natural system. 



(254.) From this definition of a natural system, as 

 opposed to one that is artificial, it becomes extremely 

 difficult to name that naturalist who deserves to be placed 

 first on our present list. Many of the groups of 

 Aristotle are, undoubtedly, natural, and will stand as 

 such, in opposition to the neglect they received from 

 subsequent zoologists ; yet others, in the same system, 

 are in the highest degree artificial. The same may be 

 said both in regard to the systems of Willughby and 

 of Linnseus ; yet both these are more properly artificial 

 systems, for they merely attempt to combine the groups 

 in detached portions of a simple series, without any 

 reference to their remote relations. Now, as this latter 

 train of enquiry is that more especially in which the 

 essence of the natural system consists, we may probably 

 regard Hermann as the first who, in regard to animals, 

 entered into any details on this interesting subject. His 

 work, entitled Tabula Affinitatum Animalium, printed 

 in 1783, contains numerous comparisons, and many 

 valuable observations, on the resemblances which differ- 

 ent animals bear to each other. But the materials he 

 has thus brought together do not appear to have been 

 applied to any definite or general result ; and it has been 

 justly observed*, that Hermann seemed to have no clear 

 perception of the difference between analogy and affinity, 

 although, like most others who had gone before him, he 

 did not confound them when treating of very remote 



• Linn. Trans, vol. xvi. p. IS, &C. 



