OF THE LIFE OF LINN^US. ujcj 



It is an universal botanical repertory, a catalogue of all the plants till 

 then knov/n to Linn^us in different parts of the world, containing 

 7,300 species, without reckoning their variations. He dedicated this 

 work to the King and Queen of Stuedcn, and was not himself insensi- 

 ble of its value and merit. Never," said he in the preface, have I 

 " retorted upon mine enemies the arrows which they let fly against me, 

 « I have quietly borne offences of the satyrs, and the ironies and attacks 

 « of malice. They have at all times been the reward of the labo':rs of 

 " great men; but they cannot hurt a single hair of my head. Why should 

 " I not put up with these unworthies, when the greatest and most cele- 

 " brated botanists, before whom they must bow down to the dust, have 

 " loaded me with praises. My age, my profession, my charader, do not 

 <* permit me to combat my opponents. I will bestow the few years I have 

 " to live, upon making useful observations. Errors in natural history 

 <♦ will admit of no defence, nor can the truth be concealed. 1 appeal, 

 *' therefore, to the judgment of posterity." 



What Caspar Bauhin had attempted at Basil in the beginning of 

 the last century by his pitlure of the vegetable reign (Pinax) ; what She- 

 RARD had so much and so vainly wished to be executed with his great 

 botanical colleClions by Professor Dillenius, was now accomplished 

 by one man in the best manner possible. This work of Linnveus 

 contains an universal representation of the most modern state of the 

 vegetable rein ; and of the discoveries which had till then been made in 

 it, and reached the knowledge of our great luminary. " Posterity it- 

 *' self," says Dean B.£ck, " will once give its judgment, if it be neces- 



sary to determine, if every thing published as new after the death of 

 2 " Lin N S; 



