312 



OPPONENTS OF LINNiEUS. 



" method was natural. Become yourself a creator of a similar system, 

 " and I will immediately acknowledge you. If you have remarked 

 " greater faults in me, I forgive you your superior wisdom. Who 

 « could perambulate, without erring, the wide spread domains of nature? 

 " Who could observe every thing with sufficient accuracy ? Correft me 

 " in a friendly manner, and you shall have my best thanks. I have 

 " done all I could do. A great tree cannot bear a lofty top when 

 «« only it first begins to shoot forth. I have already made myself 

 known to all the principal botanists. They have all encouraged me, 

 « and none would oppress my insatiable desire of getting acquainted 

 with nature. Should you be more obstinate than all those ? In your 

 treatise in the Journal of Nuremberg, your disposition appears to me 

 " too elevated, too sublime, ever to permit yon to avail yourself of 

 the ignorance of others to promote your own greatness*." 

 ** Forbearing to contend with me, you will do much better to com- 

 municate your profound learning and knowledge of nature to the 

 world. This will surely be more honourable to you. Look back 

 *' on the history of botanists. Proud of their skill and inventions, 

 *' they would not remain quiet and peaceable when they first appeared 

 on the stage. Long have I been of that opinion, but now I know 

 *' better. After the lapse of a few years, the former became so com- 



* Si quos alios in me vidisti errores, Tu sapientior, haec ignoscas. Quis caruit erroribus, 

 in diffusissimo Naturae constitutiis campo ? Quis sufficientes habuit observationes ? Moneas 

 haec amice, et tlbi gratias agam. Feci, quae potui, nec fastigium summum acquirit vasta 

 arbor, prima qua erumpit tempestate. Innotui Botanicis certe primariis omnibus dudum ; 

 me erexerunt omnes, nec meum insatiabile discendi naturalia, desiderium fregit ullus. An 

 tw hisce omnibus durior ? Videris mihi ex tua dissertatione magis nobilis, quam ut te jaCtares 

 super ignorantiam aliorum. Epistol. ad Hallerum, Vol. I. p. 284, et seq. 



« plaisant 



