[ iv ] 



on that fubje£^:, which has fince excited the attention of 

 many phyficians, and is at this day not fufficiently dif- 

 cuffed, it hath therefore been exhibited more largely than 

 many of his other writings. 



The Amoenitates Academics, although ftrii^ly 

 fpeaking they are not Linnjeus's own works, have yet fo 

 large a fhare of his authority ftamped upon them, are fo 

 intimately conneded with his writings, and, it is pre- 

 fumed, are fo much Jefs known than they deferve to be, 

 that it was judged proper to give a brief account of thp 

 -whole colledlion. 



The Pan Suecus having been firft prefented to the 

 Englifly reader feveral years ago, by the Author of this vo- 

 lume, in a periodical publication, is here fubjoined, with 

 additional obfervations, and fome improvements in the 

 general arrangement of the tables. 



Few or no criticifms oi) the Linrtaa^ fyftem. will be 

 found in thefe pages. No fyftem yet invented pan ftand 

 a rigorous examination through all its parts, and LiNr 

 NiEUS was, perhaps, better acquainted than any other 

 man with the defe£ls of his own. The ftudy of nature 

 on fcientific principles, notwithftanding the manifold 

 improvements of later years, may yet juftly be confidered 

 as in its infancy, and all arrangements hitherto propofed, 

 have, in their turns, given way to others. At prefent 

 the fyftem of Lini^jeus poffeffes the advantage of a gene- 

 ral fuperiority in the public approbation : hpw long it 

 may enjoy this pre-eminence, time only can difcover; 

 in the mean while, it would be a more agreeable employ- 

 ment, to endeavour to ftrengthen its bafis, fupply its de- 

 £ciences, and candidly corredl its errors, than to objeSf to 

 thofe anomalies and imperfedlioi^s, which will moft likely 

 be ever infeparable from artificial arrangements ; and as 

 natural method, it is as yet fo far unknown, that, in the 

 vegetable kingdom Botanifts themfelves are not agreed q|| 

 what principles it ought to be eftablifhed, 



5 A GEN?^ 



