J 



fer thefe neceffary adr*' rations, and improvements, with- 



out injuring its fl manency, or fymmetry. Let it not, 



therefore, be p ; the immortal author wandered from 



the province al, d foi his talents when he undertook this great 

 work, and accomplished it ic far as the ftate of human knowledge 

 would allow. His greateft enemies may be filenced by this confide- 

 ration, that fuch alterations, additions, and improvements, as the 

 System of Nature has nitherto required, have been made by the 

 difciples of that great mailer, inftructed almoft for the exprefs pur- 

 pofe of carrying forward and completing his arduous undertaking. 



Many years * have now elapfed fince the twelfth edition of this 

 work was given to the public by its immortal author j and the joint 

 labours of the many unwearied inquirers into nature which have 

 appeared fince that period, both of his difciples and others, have 

 greatly enlarged our ftock of knowledge, by making us acquaint- 

 ed with numerous facts and objects before unknown, and by in- 

 creafing and correcting our knowledge of fuch as were already 

 known, though imperfectly. Hence it is evident that, when thefe are 

 referred to their proper places in the general fyftem, it mull necef- 

 farilv become, both more extended, and more comprehensive than 

 in its former ftate. I trull, therefore, from thefe confiderations that, 

 in preparing and publifhing this new edition, I have been employed 

 ufefully and agreeably to the public, as well as fatisfactorily to the 

 bookfellers, who have long found that a new edition of the Linnaean 

 fyftem was mod anxioufly folicited by their employers. 



In this edition the original work is not materially changed in its 

 general plan; though fome particular paits have undergone a few 



A 2 alterations, 



* Dr Gmelin fays more than four luftres ; the twelfth, or laft Linnaean edition of 

 the Syjlema Naturae was publiflied in 1 766, and that of Gmelin in 1788, making am 

 interval of twenty-two years.. 



