136 
MEMOIR OF 
worthy of remark, that the subject of our memoir 
did not rest contented in the mere consciousness 
of talent. On the contrary, he seems to have 
been early aware, that the value of ability of any 
kind consists in its due and proper application, 
so that “ he addicted himself to that department 
of Natural History, which, by agreement with 
Mr Ray, he had selected, as diligently as if he had 
been compelled to get his bread by it.” 
As may be expected from the foregoing account, 
he was most deeply sensible of the value of time, 
northern part of the New World with envied splendour. 
At that period, I formed a design of collecting materials 
for a partial history of its animals ; and with true pains, 
my various correspondents made far greater progress in 
my plan, than my most sanguine expectations had framed. 
Above a century ago, an illustrious predecessor in the 
line of Natural History, who as greatly exceeded me in 
abilities, as he did in zeal, meditated a voyage to the 
New World for a similar purpose. The gentleman 
alluded to was Francis Willughby, Esq. who died in 
1672, on the point of putting his design into execution. 
Emulous of so illustrious an example, I took up the object 
of his pursuit, but my many relative duties forbade me 
from carrying it the length of that great and good 
man .” — Memoir of Pennant in the Naturalist’s Library , 
page 32 and 33. 
It seems that Mr Pennant did not, however, follow his 
exemplar with equal steps. It is remarked hy Mr Swainson, 
that he “ followed the system of Linnaeus, except in that 
strange and unnatural system of the primary orders of birds 
which he fell into, and which was the more inexcusable 
after the writings of Willughby .” — Preliminary Discourse, 
page 50. 
