Remarks on the Natural System. 451 



according to such of their characters and properties as may 

 appear to be most obvious. As the properties of natural 

 bodies are infinite, so our knowledge of them depends on 

 the progress of science, and as this is now continually ad- 

 vancing, old systems founded on a more limited state of 

 knowledge are daily crumbling to pieces. Some great men 

 perceiving the disadvantage of this, have devoted their 

 minds to the investigation of natural laws throughout the 

 creation, with the view of deducing from these a natural sys- 

 tem, which the improvements of science will tend rather to 

 complete than to destroy. The design is one that cannot 

 like former systems, be accomplished by any single individual. 

 One of the great difficulties to overcome at the commence- 

 ment was, therefore, to devise a plan on which all might 

 labour towards the accomplishment of the one great end. 

 Although a thorough knowledge of the system of nature is 

 probably more than it was ever intended the human mind 

 should accomplish, yet it is something to know that we are 

 on a right path, and that we may hope to attain at least a 

 general insight to the mysteries and beauties of the creation ; 

 and although some happy observation or general remark 

 may be found in various authors tending to shew that they 

 were not insensible of what should constitute the true path, 

 yet it was reserved for Mr. W. S. MacLeay, in a series of 

 essays specially devoted to the subject, not only to point it 

 out, but also to illustrate by his own profound researches, 

 many of the primary laws on which a natural method should 

 be formed. Mr. Jameson's paper, as its title indicates, is 

 devoted to an investigation of the first order of birds, with a 

 view to discover the true relations which the members of 

 that group bear to each other in the order of their mutual 

 affinities. The subject is one of great philosophical interest, 

 as those who have leisure will find on the perusal of Mr. 

 Swainson's popular treatise on the geography and classifica- 

 tion of animals. 



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