61 



History had been So much neglected before the time 

 of Linneus, that little instruction was known ; Science 

 generally was in a state of confusion ; some few had 

 attempted to detail the Anatomy of Insects, while 

 others had elucidated their metamorphosal charac- 

 ters. The compilations of Aldrovandus and Mouffet 

 may be considered as the chief entomological works 

 of that period, containing much that was valuable, 

 much that was useless. Our countryman Ray it is true, 

 had published his Methodus Insectorum, a very sur-> 

 prising work, (one that will long remain a monument 

 of what devotion to science, and great assiduity, can 

 accomplish ;) it was however insufficient for general 

 classification and arrangement, and imperfect in 

 some of its minor points ; it needed also the happy 

 invention of Trivial names, and consequently it gave 

 way to the Linnean compendium, entitled the Sys- 

 tema Naturae. Far be it from me to decry the 

 merits of the illustrious Ray ; it is evident to the 

 Naturalist, that had not Ray and his cotemporaries 

 acted as the pioneers of science, Linneus must na- 

 turally have been too much engrossed with details ; 

 his progress therefore must have been obstructed, if 

 not arrested, and his success in consequence have 

 been problematical. m 



The Systema Naturae as a whole, may justly be 

 considered as a most useful catalogue of nature's 

 works. The introduction of specific names was cer- 

 tainly a happy invention of its author, and tended 

 greatly to ensure its success. The arrangement must 

 be considered artificial, and did we view it in any 



