Xvi PREFACE. 



and by losing sight of the natural system altogether, 

 that they ought to have expected its discovery. 

 The simile of Linnasus would indeed have been 

 more accurate had he said, that to imagine that the 

 natural method can be discovered without a pre- 

 vious acquaintance with an artificial one, is to fancy 

 that it is possible to erect a building without having 

 collected the materials necessary for the under- 

 taking. But then he ought to have added, that he 

 who contents himself with an artificial method 

 without a wish to attain the natural one, is a man 

 who lives quietly and indolently amid a confused 

 mass of materials, that might with industry enable 

 him to construct that fabric of which the architect 

 in the true sense of the word, is no other than the 

 great Creator himself. 



Setting aside their convenience for use as cata- 

 logues, it may, however, be fairly asked, what 

 good purpose hitherto have these artificial systems, 

 these commodious and well-covered houses an- 

 swered ? The ichthyologist may, for instance, pride 

 himself on his knowledge of the " finny race;" but 

 unless he possess some nobler ambition than a per- 

 fect acquaintance with an artificial system, he must 

 not be surprised that all his vaunted science is to 

 be surpassed by that of many a poor fisherman. 

 Both may with equal ease be able to give a name 

 to the objects of their search, and both of them are 



