ESSAY VII. 



ON THE L I N N 1 A N SYSTEM. 



AFTER the death of our illuftrious countryman Ray, 

 the ftudy of Natural Hiftory feems to have flept, not 

 only in England, but in moft parts of Europe ; which may 

 perhaps be attributed to the Newtonian Philofophy's affording a 

 more interefting fubjecl: of difcuffion, till by the force of truth it 

 was thoroughly eftablifhed. 



In the Northern part of Sweden, however, a man of very un- 

 common abilities, and great penetration in examining fpecimens, 

 arofe, who publimed his firft edition of a Syftema Naturae in 

 1735. I need fcarcely fay that I mean the celebrated Linnaeus. 



The firft perfon who introduced the knowledge of this com- 

 prehensive work to the Englifh reader is believed to have been 

 Sir John Hill ; and it was afterwards much commended by the 

 late Mr. Stillingfleet, who tranflated fome effays of the Univerfity 

 of Upfal, written under the infpe&ion of their prefident Lin- 

 naeus. 



I am truly fenfible of lils merit in claffing the different king- 

 doms of nature ; and moft readily allow, that it is perhaps the 

 beft dictionary and grammar which the naturalift can ufe, when 

 he goes into a mufeum, or means to travel into diftant regions. 



I am 



