LINNiEUS'S OWN ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF. 385 



« books and the history of their respe6live authors. In the second 

 " part, he touches upon all the botanical systems and opinions, accord- 

 " ing to the classes, sections, and general names of the plants; particu- 

 « larly upon the methods and opinions of C/Esalpinus, Herrmann, 

 *' Knautius, Ray, Rivini, Tournefort, Pontedera, &c. &c. 

 " besides his own system, to which he intends to add Mag n ol's as soon 

 " as he shall have received the valuable work, of the latter. In the 

 " Methodi Specialiores, he will observe the generical chara£lers. For 

 "instance, in the mosses, he will give both the charafters of Dil- 

 " LENius and his own, &c. &c. In the third part of this work he 

 " treats on the parts of fruftification ; he explains what they are, how 

 *' they are to be distinguished, and points out in what manner they 

 *' can be regularly ordered and divided. In the fourth, he treats of 

 *' the sex. of the plants, and demonstrates it plainly. In the hfth, he 

 ** discriminates the true and general characlers from tlie false ones, 

 « and teaches how cautiously this must be done, and how not only 

 *' one, but all the parts of fruftification ought to be most carefully 

 " observed, and how the outward form is chiefly to be looked after 

 " in doubtful cases. He maintains, that the greatest part of the plants may 

 " be known by their blossom, or flower... He ascribes the errors of most 

 " of the botanists to their ignorance of some of the principal rules. In 

 *' the sixth part, he refutes with sound proofs upwards of seven hundred 

 *' general denominations of plants. In the seventh, he speaks of the 

 " Differenticc Specif cce^ which have been omitted in most of the names,. 

 « merely because the right method to discover them was not known. In 

 " the eighth, he treats of the variations of plants, and points out how 

 " they are to be discriminated. In the ninth part, he enumerates the new 



D. d d species. 



