HISTORY OF BOTANY. 
289 
of that botanist who stands first on the catalogue of the labor- 
ers in this department of Natural History. You do not need to 
be told that we here refer to Linneeus. 
You will observe that the attempts of botanists had been 
hitherto chiefly directed towards the attainment of some proper 
method for the arrangement of plants ; the attention of some 
investigating minds was now turned towards their Anatomy and 
Physiology. Since the days of the first Greek naturalists, these 
departments of botanical science had lain neglected ; but now 
the confused opinions of the ancients served to suggest experi- 
ments and observations, which resulted in solid discoveries. 
The invention of the microscope threw light upon the myste- 
ries of nature, which, without the invention of this instrument, 
must ever have remained in obscurity ; by its assistance bota- 
nists studied the internal structure of vegetables ; they described 
the heart, wood, and pith ; they perceived the new formed bud, 
yet invisible to the naked eye ; the future plant existing in the 
bulbous roots, and even in the seed ; pores were discovered, 
which were found to be the organs of the expiration and in- 
spiration of gasses, thrown out as noxious, or inhaled as nutri- 
tious. The importance of the stamens and pistils as essential 
to the perfection of the seed of vegetables began to be suggested. 
As yet however, the science of botany lay in scattered frag- 
ments of various imperfect and contending systems : much la- 
bor had been bestowed, and great improvements made, but there 
seemed to be no central point around which these improvements 
might be collected ; the learned world were sensible of the de- 
ficiency ; but it required great genius, great observation of na- 
ture, and courage to stem the tide of popular prejudices, in any 
one who should come forward to attempt the work of reform. 
Charles Linnaeus, an inhabitant of Sweden, suddenly emer- 
ging from obscurity, offered to the world a system of botany, 
so far superior to all others, as to leave no room for dispute as 
to its comparative merit. All preceding systems were immedi- 
ately laid aside, and the classification of Linnaeus was received 
with scarcely a dissenting voice. What this system was, you 
have not now to learn, since it has been the basis of your bot- 
anical studies. Linnteus extended the principles of his classifi- 
cation to the animal and mineral kingdoms; in the language of 
an eminent botanist,* “ His magic pen turned the wilds of Lap- 
land into fairy fields, and the animals of Sweden came to be 
classed by him as they went to Adam in the garden of Eden to 
receive each his particular name.” 
* Sir James E. Smith. 
Attention of botanists turned towards anatomy and physiology — Inven- 
tion of the microscope — Science of botany yet imperfect — Linna:us. 
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