BOTANICAL REFORM. 99 



« yet I cannot in all points agree with him*." The energy of truth and 

 and the goodness of his cause soon got the upper hand. Opposition 

 CDuld not triumph over the majority of the impartial, and the reform of 

 LiNNiEus was introduced with his ameliorated botanical technology. 



One of the greatest philosophers of this century, who found the ut 

 most delight in nature, expresses himself in the following manner re- 

 specting this new technical language : " It has been objefted,"says J. J. 

 Rousseau, « that this nomenclature was not Ciceronian. But this ob- 

 " jection would only then find any reasonable grounds, if Cicero had 

 *' written a complete treatise on botany. All those terms are, whether, 

 " Greek or Latin, expressive, concise, sonorous, and by their great pre- 

 « cision, form even elegant construftions. In the daily practice of the 

 " art we find all the utility of its new language, which is as much conve- 

 *« nient and necessary to botanists as algebra to the geometricians." 

 Linnaeus published another little work, which was a description of 

 Cliffort's orchard (Viridariim Cliffortianum) ; and he then resolved 

 with impatience to return to his future bride, by quitting Hartccamp, 

 which had till now been his clysium, at the expiration of the year 1737. 

 He had rendered this villa the most curious in Holland^ but the 

 period of its fame was but of a short duration. Cliffort, by his 

 liberal sacrifices to nature and art, found himself at last in unpleasant 

 circumstances, and the glory of Hartecamp vanished with him. The 

 villa itself remained in possession of his family. His son, who was chosen 

 afterwards Burgomaster of Amsterdam, did not follow with equal en- 



* Professor Ludwig, who by his medical talents acquired such high diftinilion, says in his 

 letter to Haller, *' ^Id de Critica Botancia Linnai sentis ? Rigorosus quidem, sed sae- 

 " pissimefelix botanicorum censor est; non dtsplicent ^ua frotulit, licet non in omnibus cum. 

 " i^so sentire queam." 



t See Rousseau's preface to his botanical dictionary. 



o 2 thusiasm 



