[ 214 ] 



Hal defers of his own. Thofe anomalies which had 

 principally been the objeds of criticifm, he well 

 knew every artificial arrangement muft abound 

 with J and having laid it down as a firm maxim, 

 that every fyftem muft finally reft on its in- 

 trinfic merit, he willingly commits his own to the 

 judgment of pofterity. Perhaps there is no cir- 

 cumftance of Linn^eus's life, which fliews him 

 in a more dignified light, than his condu6l to- 

 wards his opponents. Difavowing controverfy, 

 and juftly confidering it as an unimportant and 

 fruitlefs facrifice of time, he never replied to any, 

 numerous as they were at one feafon. 



To all who fee the aid this extraordinary man 

 has brought to natural fcience^ his talents muft 

 appear in a very illuftrious point of view ; but 

 more efpecially to thofe who, from fimilarity of 

 tafte, are qualified to fee more diftindly the vaft 

 extent of his original defign, the greatnefs of his 

 labour, and the elaborate execution he has given 

 to the whole. He had a happy command of the 

 Latin tongue, which is alone the language of 

 fcience ; and no man ever applied it more fuccefsf ully 

 to his purpofes, or gave to defcription fuch copi- 

 oufnefs, united with that precifion and conc^fenefs, 

 which fo eminently charadlerlze his writings. 



In the mean time, we are not to learn, that it 

 has been objedled as derogatory to his learning 

 in no fmall degree, that he has introduced a num- 

 ber of terms not authorized by clafTical authority. 

 But, granting this, it ought to be recoUeded, 

 that LiNN^uSj in the inveftigation of nature, has 



difcovered 



