[ * 6 3 ] 



I am fenfible alfo of the great convenience in conforming to 

 any general nomenclature, and that much confufion is thereby 

 avoided, from the fame reafon that it fignifies little to geographers 

 whence the firft meridian is taken, if any particular one is but 

 univerfally adopted. 



Thefe advantages, however, mould not make us blind to Lin- 

 naeus's defects, and the bad confequences which perhaps are to- 

 be apprehended from his fyftem prevailing to the exclufion of 

 others, to whom the naturalift mufr. for ever be fo much in- 

 debted. 



I have feen feveral letters written by Linnaeus, the latinity of 

 which a young fchool boy with us would be aihamed of, and in- 

 deed in many periods the common rules of grammar were 

 broken \ 



Lord Kaims therefore exprefles himfelf mod juftly on this 

 head, " a language as barbarous as the German Metaphyfics of 

 " Leibnitz, or the Swedifh Natural Hiftory of Linnaeus, which 

 " are not even intelligible, except to thofe who have made a par- 

 " ticular ftudy of their lingo's b ." 



This is really a moll material defect in any one who treats on 

 fubje&s of Natural Hiftory ; for the defcription mould be couched 

 in terms that can leave no doubt about the author's meaning, and 

 by fuch accuracy make the expence of engraving unnecefTary. 



It may, however, be now expected^ that I mould furnifh fome 

 inftances of defcriptions which cannot be eafily comprehended 



3 I fhould almoft fufpect likewife that he did not underftand French or 

 Englifh, as in the 12th edition of his Syftema Naturae, he refers only to 

 Gefner, Aldrovandus, Johnftone, Ray, Briffon *, and tloutinus, with- 

 out any mention of Buffon, or Pennant. 



b Preface to Lord Kaims's 3d vol. on language. 



* Briflbn's defcriptions are both ia Latin and French, 

 % by 



