Lives of Eminent Zoologists, from Aristotle to Linnaeus Part 23

As an example of his manner, when treating of a subject not technically described, we may present his account of the plant to which he gave the name of Andromeda: "This most choice and beautiful virgin gracefully erects her long and shining neck (the peduncle), her face with its rosy lips (the corolla) far excelling the best pigment. She kneels on the ground with her feet bound (the lower part of the stem inc.u.mbent), surrounded with water, and fixed to a rock (a projecting clod), exposed to frightful dragons (frogs and newts). She bends her sorrowful face (the flower) towards the earth, stretches up her innocent arms (the branches) toward heaven, worthy of a better place and happier fate, until the welcome Perseus (summer), after conquering the monster, draws her out of the water and renders her a fruitful mother, when she raises her head (the fruit) erect." The a.n.a.logy that gave rise to this fanciful description, which is contained in the Flora Lapponica, suggested itself to Linnaeus on his Lapland journey. "The Chamaedaphne of Buxbaum," says he, "was at this time in its highest beauty, decorating the marshy grounds in a most agreeable manner. The flowers are quite blood-red before they expand, but when full grown the corolla is of a flesh-colour. Scarcely any painter's art can so happily imitate the beauty of a fine female complexion; still less could any artificial colour upon the face itself bear a comparison with this lovely blossom.

As I contemplated it, I could not help thinking of Andromeda as described by the poets; and the more I meditated upon their descriptions, the more applicable they seemed to the little plant before me; so that, if these writers had had it in view, they could scarcely have contrived a more apposite fable. Andromeda is represented by them as a virgin of most exquisite and unrivalled charms; but these charms remain in perfection only so long as she retains her virgin purity, which is also applicable to the plant, now preparing to celebrate its nuptials. This plant is always fixed on some little turfy hillock in the midst of the swamps, as Andromeda herself was chained to a rock in the sea, which bathed her feet, as the fresh water does the roots of the plant. Dragons and venomous serpents surrounded her, as toads and other reptiles frequent the abode of her vegetable prototype, and, when they pair in the spring, throw mud and water over its leaves and branches. As the distressed virgin cast down her blushing face through excessive affliction, so does the rosy-coloured flower hang its head, growing paler and paler till it withers away. Hence, as this plant forms a new genus, I have chosen for it the name of _Andromeda_."

"Botany may be compared to one of those plants which flower only once in a century. It first put forth some seed-leaves in the reign of Alexander. After the war of Mithridates, the victorious Romans transported it to Rome, when the root-leaves began to appear. Receiving no further cultivation, it ceased to grow. It was next carried from Italy to Arabia, where it remained until the twelfth century. It then languished in France during three centuries; its root-leaves began to wither, and the plant was ready to perish. Towards the sixteenth century, however, it yielded a slight flower (Caesalpinus), so frail that the gentlest breeze might seem sufficient to detach it from its slender stalk. This flower bore no fruit. Towards the seventeenth century, the stem, which had been so long without appearing, shot up to a great height; but its leaves were few, and no flower appeared. In the early spring of this happy period, however, when a gentle warmth had succeeded the frosts of winter, this stem yielded a fresh flower, to which succeeded a fruit (C. Bauhin) that nearly attained maturity. Soon after, this splendid stem was surrounded with numerous leaves and flowers."

These figurative descriptions, however, have no place in the more technical writings of Linnaeus, where, on the contrary, all is brief, clear, and precise; but, as we have already presented some specimens of these, it is unnecessary to make any additional remarks.

Notwithstanding the attacks that have been made on his mineralogical system, it is at least deserving of praise, as showing the practicability of arranging the objects belonging to this kingdom of nature according to strict method. In botany his merits were transcendent, and with the mention of that science his name is uniformly a.s.sociated. He found it in a rude and unsettled state, and left it so admirably disposed, that the beauty and practical utility of his method recommended it to the cultivators of science in all countries. Nor were his labours in the animal kingdom less successful. The general principles of cla.s.sification which he introduced, his invention of specific names, his improvements in nomenclature and terminology, and the wonderful precision of his descriptions, rendered the study of these sciences as pleasing and easy as it had previously been irksome and laborious.

All systems flourish and fade. The mineralogy of Linnaeus has perished; his zoology, cut down to the root, has sent forth a profusion of luxuriant shoots; and although his botany maintains as yet a strong claim upon the admiration of the lovers of nature, a fairer plant has sprung up beside it, which promises a richer harvest of golden fruits.

But should the period ever arrive when all that belonged to him of mere system and technicology shall be obliterated, he will not the less be remembered as a bright luminary in the dark hemisphere of natural science, which served for a time to throw a useful light around, and led observers to surer paths of observation than had previously been known.

SECTION XII.

_Catalogue of the Works of Linnaeus._

Hortus Uplandicus--Florula Lapponica--Systema Naturae--Hypothesis Nova de Febrium Intermittentium Causa--Fundamenta Botanica--Bibliotheca Botanica--Musa Cliffortiana--Genera Plantarum--Viridarium Cliffortianum--Caroli Linnaei Corollarium Generum Plantarum--Flora Lapponica--Hortus Cliffortia.n.u.s--Critica Botanica--Petri Artedi, Sueci Medici, Ichthyologia--Cla.s.ses Plantarum, seu Systema Plantarum--Oratio de Memorabilibus in Insectis--Orbis Eruditi Judicium de C. Linnaei Scriptis--Oratio de Peregrinationum intra Patriam Necessitate--Oratio de Telluris Habitabilis Incremento--Flora Suecica--Animalia Sueciae--Oelandska och Gothlandska Resa--Fauna Sueciae Regni--Flora Zeylanica--Wastgotha Resa--Hortus Upsaliensis--Materia Medica Regni Vegetabilis--Materia Medica Regni Animalis--Skanska Resa--Philosophia Botanica--Materia Medica Regni Lapidei--Species Plantarum--Museum Tessinianum--Museum Regis Adolphi Suecorum--Frederici Ha.s.selquist Iter Palestinum--Petri Loeflingii Iter Hispanic.u.m--Oratio Regia--Disquisitio Quaestionis, ab Acad. Imper. Scientiarum Petropolitanae, in annum 1759 pro Praeemio, Propositae--Genera Morborum--Museum Reginae Louisae Ulricae--Clavis Medica Duplex--Mantissa Plantarum--Mantissa Plantarum altera--Deliciae Naturae--Essays printed in the Transactions of the Academies of Upsal and Stockholm.

1. Hortus Uplandicus, sive enumeratio plantarum exoticarum Uplandiae, quae in hortis vel agris coluntur, imprimis autem in horto Academico Upsaliensi. Upsal, 1731. 160 pages 8vo. This is the first work published by Linnaeus, and in it the plants are already disposed according to the s.e.xual system.

2. Florula Lapponica, quae continet catalogum plantarum, quas per provincias Lapponicas Westrobothnienses observavit C. Linnaeus. It was written in 1732, and inserted in the Acta Litteraria Sueciae of the same year, but only in part, the second section having appeared in the same collection in 1735.

3. Systema Naturae, sive Regna Tria Naturae, systematice proposita, per cla.s.ses, ordines, genera et species. Lugd. Batav. apud Haak, 1735. 14 pages folio. Of this work we have already spoken at considerable length.

The two editions most in use are that of 1766-68, published at Stockholm, being the last that appeared under the author's inspection, and the enlarged but ill-digested one of Gmelin, published in 1788-1792 at Leipsic.

4. Hypothesis Nova de Febrium Intermittentium Causa. Harderovici, 1735.

4to. This is Linnaeus's thesis, written when he took his medical degree at Harderwyk in Holland.

5. Fundamenta Botanica, quae majorum operum prodromi instar, theoriam scientiae botanicae per breves aphorismos tradunt. Amst. 1736, apud Schouten. 36 pages 12mo. There have been eight editions of this tract, of which the last was published at Paris in 1774. 8vo.

6. Bibliotheca Botanica, recensens libros plus mille de plantis, huc usque editos secundum systema auctorum naturale, in cla.s.ses, ordines, genera et species dispositos, &c. Amstelod. 1736, apud Schouten. 136 pages 12mo. There have been two other editions; the last of which appeared at Amsterdam in 1751.

7. Musa Cliffortiana, Florens Hartecampi prope Harlemum. Lugd. Batav.

1736. 40 pages 4to.

8. Genera Plantarum earumque characteres naturales, secundum numerum, figuram, situm et proportionem omnium fructificationis partium. Lugd.

Batav. apud Wishof, 1737. 384 pages 8vo. The last edition, corrected by Linnaeus, was published at Stockholm in 1764. It contains 1239 genera.

Five other editions have appeared since; the two last by Schreber and Hanke.

9. Viridarium Cliffortianum. Amst. 1737. 8vo.

10. Caroli Linnaei Corollarium Generum Plantarum; cui accedit Methodus s.e.xualis. Lugd. Batav. 1737. 8vo.

11. Flora Lapponica, exhibens plantas per Lapponiam crescentes, secundum systema s.e.xuale, collectas itinere impensis Societ. Reg. Litterar.

Scientar. Sueciae, anno 1732 inst.i.tuta, additis synonymis, &c. Amstelod.

apud Schouten, 1737. An improved edition was published by Sir J. E.

Smith, London, 1792.

12. Hortus Cliffortia.n.u.s. Amst. 1737. One vol. folio.

13. Critica Botanica, in qua nomina plantarum generica, specifica et variantia examini subjiciuntur, selectiora confirmantur, indigna rejiciuntur simulque doctrina circa denominationem plantarum traditur; cui accedit Browalii Discursus de introducenda in scholas Historiae Naturalis lectione. Lugd. Batav. apud Wishof, 1737. A second edition, with a Dissertation on the Life and Writings of Linnaeus, was given by J.

E. Gilibert in 1788.

14. Petri Artedi, Sueci Medici, Ichthyologia, sive opera omnia de Piscibus; scilicet Bibliotheca Ichthyologica; Genera Piscium; Synonyma Specierum et Descriptiones; omnia in hoc genera perfectiora quam antea ulla. Posthuma vindicavit, recognovit, coaptavit et edidit C. Linnaeus.

Lugd. Batav. apud Wishof, 1738. A second edition, by Walbaum, appeared at Gryphishaw in 1788-1791. 3 vols 4to.

15. Cla.s.ses Plantarum, seu Systema Plantarum; omnia a fructificatione desumpta, quorum s.e.xdecim universalia et tredecim particularia, compendiose proposita secundum cla.s.ses, ordines et nomina generica, c.u.m clave cujusvis methodi et synonymis genericis. Lugd. Batav. apud Wishof, 1738. A second edition came out in 1747.

16. Oratio de Memorabilibus in Insectis, in Swedish. Stockholm, 1739.

8vo. There have been seven editions in Swedish, German, and Latin, one of which was inserted in the Amaenitates Academicae.

17. Orbis Eruditi Judicium de C. Linnaei Scriptis. Upsal, 1741. This pamphlet was published anonymously by Linnaeus, to vindicate himself against the attacks of Wallerius. A second edition by Stoever, in his Collectio Epistolarum Caroli a Linne. Hamburg, 1792.

18. Oratio de Peregrinationum intra Patriam Necessitate. Upsal, 1742.

4to. This oration was delivered by Linnaeus when he a.s.sumed his professorial functions. It is also inserted in the Amaenitates Academicae.

19. Oratio de Telluris Habitabilis Incremento. Upsal, 1743. 4to.

20. Flora Suecica, exhibens plantas, per Regnum Sueciae crescentes, systematice c.u.m differentiis specierum, synonymis auctorum, nominibus incolarum, solo locorum, usu pharmacopaeorum. Lugd. Batav. apud Wishof, 1745. A second edition was printed at Stockholm, 1755.

21. Animalia Sueciae. Holm. 1745. 8vo.

22. Oelandska och Gothlandska Resa. Travels in Oeland and Gothland.

Stock. och Upsal, 1745. This work was translated into German by Schreber, 1763.

23. Fauna Sueciae Regni, Mammalia, Aves, Amphibia, Pisces, Insecta, Vermes; distributa per cla.s.ses, ordines, genera et species. Holm. apud Salvium, 1746. A second edition also at Stockholm, 1761.

24. Flora Zeylanica, sistens plantas Indicas Zeylonae Insulae, quae olim 1670-1677, lectae fuere a Paulo Hermanno. Holm. 1747. A second impression was executed at Leipsic, 1748.

25. Wastgotha Resa. Travels in West Gothland. Stockholm, 1747.

Translated into German by Schreber, 1765.

26. Hortus Upsaliensis, exhibens plantas exoticas horto Upsaliensis Academiae a Car. Linnaeo illatas ab anno 1742, in annum 1748, additis differentiis, synonymis, habitationibus, hospitiis, rariorumque descriptionibus, in gratiam studiosae juventutis. Holm. 1748.

27. Materia Medica Regni Vegetabilis. Holm. 1749. 8vo.

28. Materia Medica Regni Animalis. Upsal, 1750.

29. Skanska Resa. Travels in Scania. Stockholm, 1749. 434 pages 8vo.

Translated into German by Klein, vol. i. The rest has not appeared.

30. Philosophia Botanica, in qua explicantur fundamenta botanica, c.u.m definitionibus partium, exemplis terminorum, observationibus rariorum, adjectis figuris. Holm. apud Kiesewetter, 1751. 362 pages 8vo. Seven editions have been published of this splendid work. It has also been translated into English by Rose, and into Spanish by Capdevila.

31. Materia Medica Regni Lapidei. Upsal, 1752. The three parts of the Materia Medica were published separately, and the two last have been inserted in the Amaenitates Academicae. Two editions were afterwards required by the scientific world.

32. Species Plantarum, exhibens plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas c.u.m differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema s.e.xuale digestas. Holm. apud Salvium.

2 vols 8vo, 1753. Two other editions have since appeared, the last by Trattner in 1764.