106 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
same time, generally, an idea as to its habits, properties, and place in the great 
scale of creation. 
These introductory lectures are amply sufficient as a bird’s-eye view of the 
whole,—a balloon-like glance over this wide and interesting field. You have 
now a perception of the bearing and position of the main roads or thoroughfares ; 
and he who is familiar with these will soon become acquainted with the lateral, 
intermediate streets, lanes, and alleys, in this mighty assemblage of living forms, 
presenting materials for close and diligent observation. 
Lecture IV. On Classification. 
On looking back, you wdll be astonished at the amazing progress that has been 
made. You are now acquainted with a considerable number of botanical terms, 
and their corresponding ideas; fixed, too, in the memory by association with the 
plants themselves in such wise that they will not easily be forgotten. In fact, 
without any more preparation, you are now able to enter upon an examination 
of the system invented, or rather discovered, by Linnaeus, which many of you 
no doubt have hitherto been prevented from studying, in consequence of the terms 
or language in which it has been taught. 
We now proceed to shew, that, so far from this system being a science entirely 
of names, and outlandish words, overloading and harassing the memory, it is a 
pleasant and agreeable, nay easy study, storing the mind with facts and ideas of 
the most useful kind. 
Of course, to class any thing we must either learn or invent a system; but 
we cannot expect the whole of such a system arranged entirely in natural classes 
or groups such as have hitherto been noticed ; or, in other words, an arrangement 
like that of drugs in the apothecary’s shop, is quite as useful though they be not 
classed according to the natural system, or their properties, such as opiates, 
sudorifics, cathartics, &c., but in alphabetical, or the most artificial, of all systems. 
This is the best illustration we can afford as to the difference between natural and 
artificial systems of arrangement; the latter always depending on some arbitrary 
mode of one sort or another. 
Linnaeus’s .system partakes in some measure the advantages of both. If the 
order of Nature were perfectly unveiled, then her arrangement would doubtless be 
the best we could adopt. But to our imperfect faculties, the operations of Nature, 
the real types and organization, the analogies of living things, will probably be 
for ever hidden ; hence we are obliged to use artificial helps to knowledge in this 
imperfect and finite state of existence, where the highest attainment we can 
possibly achieve is to feel, to comprehend how little we know / 
In commencing this system, your previous knowledge will be found extremely 
useful. Happily, too, it preserves intact the natural tribes previously studied. 
