ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL LITERATURE. 
403 
hosts of treatises in transactions and magazines, the laborious research required 
for compiling anything like a complete or satisfactory catalogue of these would 
absorb more time, patience, and money than most men would be willing to de¬ 
vote to the undertaking. Even supposing it once accomplished, the list would, 
in our estimation, be more interesting than useful. For although some of our 
most eminent naturalists in every department have long been in the habit of 
communicating the result of their scientific investigations to the public through 
the medium of periodical publications of various sizes and characters, yet the 
substance of these papers is in a short time sure to be incorporated in all the best 
standard and elementary works on the subject. In fact we may go so far as to 
observe, that the perusal of these isolated treatises, some years after their pub¬ 
lication, would be almost as useless and absurd as the attempt to obtain a com¬ 
petent knowledge of Natural History, at the present day, from the writings of 
Aristotle or Pliny. 
The cases we have adduced are, indeed, similar in kind, though doubtless not 
in degree. The works of Aristotle and Pliny are not only surprising produc¬ 
tions, but they were of incalculable service during their generation; and, in days 
of yore, he who wished to become a good naturalist, repaired, as a matter of 
course, to the writings of these venerable authors. And no one will venture to 
call in question the expediency—nay the necessity—of such a proceeding. We 
venerate the works of Aristotle and Pliny as well for their antiquity as for 
the inestimable services which they have, beyond all doubt, rendered to the study 
of Nature’s works. We should even be glad to possess a good English version of 
Pliny’s Natural Hdstory*^ but we should be very sorry to place it in the hands 
of a beginner. Let us, however, proceed with our retrospect of zoological liter¬ 
ature, commencing with general and complete works on the animal kingdom. 
From the circumstance of Mr. Hanway being a gentleman of fortune, and 
especially from the extensive nature of his wishes, we presume he intends col¬ 
lecting an extensive natural-historical library rather than to procure the smallest 
number of books whereby to become acquainted with the science upon which he 
proposes to enter, and our observations will be written accordingly, though we 
neither are able nor desire to supply a complete catalogue. 
After having possessed himself of the works of the ancients, the student will 
find himself compelled to make a very long skip, the next general zoological 
treatise of any value being the Systema Naturce of Linn^us. This book may 
still be studied with advantage. It is only valuable at the present day as giving 
* We are informed that such an undertaking is in contemplation. If illustrated by wood-cuts, 
well translated, published in monthly parts, and, lastly, at a cheap rate, we have very little 
doubt but it would succeed. 
Sr2 
