OF THE LIFE OF LINN^US. 219 



This opinion is too much stamped with gallic levity to require any- 

 kind of apology here. Patriotism, and the penetrating knowledge of 

 two meritorious Swedish literati * have already satisfaftorily vindicated 

 the honour of their immortal fellow-countryman from the obloquy of 

 the French panegyrist. They wanted neither the inventive powers 

 of logic, nor the strength of syllogisms, in accomplishing this laudable 

 end. A plain statement of fafts constituted the best defence. Upon 

 tlie whole, M. Vicq d'Azyr had not read the writings of L-innveus 

 with that competent accuracy which must otherwise have enabled him 

 to see in a proper light his merits as a theoretical physician. 



" The Genera Morborum,'" adds Vicq uAzyk, " are a nosological 

 " picture in which Linn^us lavishes such a jumble of unusual and bar- 

 '* barous terms to class the diseases and even the slightest indispo- 

 '* sitions, that, upon a thorough perusal, the number of ills which 

 " affli£l the human race seem at least augmented by one halft." 



With regard to the barbarous terms, it is a chimerical wish, to re- 

 quire every expression to be Ciceronian in a medical nomenclature, or 

 in a nosological manual. Linn^us was more studious of the precision 

 than of the beauty of words. In his general division of diseases he re- 

 duced them to eleven classes, thirty-seven orders, and three hundred and 

 twenty-five species. Professor De Sauvacf.s had upon the whole 

 eleven classes, forty-four orders, and three hundred and fourteen 



• Dr. Blom, in a Swedish work entituled Samling of Ran och Uptakter ut'i Physique, (ic. 

 Gottenburgh, 1781. — and S. A. Hedin, first physician to the king, in his work of Quid Lin- 

 H^o Patri debeat. 



t Quils sont un Tableau Nosologique, dans lequel I'auteur a employe avcc une sorte de 

 profusion une foule de nomsinusites et barbares, pour classer les maladies et meme les incom- 

 Hiodites les plus legeres, de sorte, qu'en le lisant, il semble, que le nombre des maux, dont 

 Vespece humaine est affligee, est au moins augmente de moitie, 



F f 2 species. 



