HISTORY OF BOTANY. 69 



This was Sebastian Vaiilant, a Frenchman, born at Vigny in 

 Isle de France, in 1669. His poverty made him apply rather late to his 

 favourite study. He first was an organist, then a surgeon, and after- 

 \<'ards secretary to Fagon, first physician to Louis XIV. He learned 

 a great deal of this man, made his fortune through him, being ap- 

 pointed demonstrator of the plants in the royal botanical garden at Pans, 

 under Anthony deJussieu, professor of botany, whom he soon after 

 excelled by his superior talents and merits. Vai llant died at P^^m in 

 1722. He only published two small pamphlets in which he did not en- 

 compass with peculiar judgment the whole reign of botany, although 

 he displayed many new and original observations in them. Linn/eus 

 stood much indebted to his ingenuity and observations upon the inter- 

 nal structure of plants and their sexes, and always remained his warmest 

 defender. " I own," says Linn^us, in a letter to Baron Halleh, 

 " that I never read an author more accurate than Vaillant, nor one 

 " who invented more novelty in botany, laboured more, and obtained 

 " less reward than him *." 



Tournefort was and remained the prince of botany; but upon 

 nearer investigation there were many imperfeftions and flaws found in 

 his system. Soon after him many articles of his were changed, new 

 names and new classes introduced, and fresh methods planned. But 

 those who embarked in such enterprizes were men not half so inge- 

 nious nor half so penetrating as Tourn EFORT. The botanical com- 

 monwealth was threatened with fresh barbarism and ravages, had not a 

 different legislation brought about a total reform. 



* Ego fateor, me nullum adhuc legisse, qui Vaillantio accuratior fuit, qui plura nova 

 invenit in botanicis, qui plus laboravjt, qui parcius premium reportavit. 



Such 



