ceedingly defective; and, in some of the kingdoms of nature, few attempts of the kind had been made. It is not necessary to remind the intelligent reader how much this deficiency must have perplexed and retarded the inquirer, at every step of his course. It was reserved for LINNÆUS, a man equally distinguished for the benevolence and piety of his heart, the extent of his learning, and the greatness of his views, to remedy the defect. To his luminous and expanded mind, the arduous task of generalizing and arranging seemed to be an easy and familiar process. He introduced new methods of classification into all the more important branches of natural history; made large additions to its known facts and principles; excited a thirst, before unequalled, for this kind of knowledge; and prepared the way for a great portion of the improvements which have been made by succeeding naturalists.

While the last age produced much new light in the philosophy of natural history, and added immense riches to its former stores, it also gave to this science new distinction as an object of study in seminaries of learning. At the close of the seventeenth century, it is believed, few pro fessorships had been instituted, even in the most distinguished universities, for instructing youth in this interesting department of knowledge. Since that time few important colleges or universities have failed to add such professorships to their former plans of instruction, and to place natural history among the indispensable objects of attention in an academic course. By these and other means new honours have been bestowed on this branch of science, new encouragement given to the zeal and exertions of inquirers, new roads to improvement opened, and new opportunities afforded, at once, of diffusing a taste for investi

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gations of this nature, and of extending the information which genius and industry had gained.

But it will be more satisfactory to take a brief view of the several kingdoms of nature, and to state some leading facts concerning the progress which has been made in each.?.

ZOOLOGY.

At the beginning of the eighteenth century considerable progress had been made in this branch of Natural History, by the inquiries and discoveries of HARVEY, REDI, MALPIGI, WILLUGHBY, and RAY. These illustrious men discarded several erroneous doctrines which had long been received, particularly the doctrine of equivocal generation, and threw much light on the principles of physiology. RAY, being dissatisfied with ARISTOTLE'S classification of animals, invented a new one, founded on the structure of the heart. To this he was particularly led by the discoveries of HARVEY, relating to the circulation of the blood, which had been a little before announced, and excited much attention in the philosophical world. From the time of RAY till that of LINNAEUS, little progress was made in Zoology. A few books, during this interval, were published on the subject; but they did little more than make some inconsiderable additions to the number of facts before known. The achievements of the celebrated Swedish Professor in this, as well as in the other branches of natural history, cannot be contem

The contents of this chapter have been principally collected from SMITH'S Tracts on Natural History, and various other works, on detached parts of the subject; some of which will be found quoted, or referred to, in the following pages. For a knowledge of some of the facts and names here detailed, I am indebted to Professor BARTON, of Philadelphia, who, in a conversation on the subject, furnished me with much valuable infor mation, and with profitable hints for directing my inquiries.

plated without admiration. He described many new animals, and formed a new arrangement and nomenclature, in many respects original, and in general greatly superior to any that had gone before him. From this period writers on the various departments of the animal kingdom began rapidly to increase in number, in the extent of their information, and in the accurate and philosophical aspect of their descriptions.

Soon after LINNAEUS appeared M. KLEIN, of Dantzic, who warmly opposed a number of the alterations proposed by that illustrious naturalist, and signalized himself as his adversary. KLEIN gave to the world a new method of classification, founded on the toes, hoofs, &c. and by his multifarious works, on almost every department of zoology, which he treated both systematically and physiologically, rendered very important service to the science. About the same time flourished M. BRISSON, a French naturalist of very high character, and whose publications, particularly on Quadrupeds and Birds, rank in the first class on their respective subjects. Indeed, in the accuracy of his descriptions, and the excellency of his plates, he may even be pronounced superior to LINNAEUS himself. After BRISSON may be mentioned his countryman the Count DE BUFFON, who, though more sprightly and interesting as a writer, in which he excels all other natural historians, is far less accurate and philosophical. His neglect of regular systematic arrangement is a great defect, and must ever lessen the value of his works. He was a zealous cultivator of zoology, and by his splendid publications and captivating style made himself admired throughout the scientific world. And though many of his hypotheses are whimsical, extravagant, and delusive, it must yet be allowed that he did much to encourage and forward the study of nature;

that he made many observations of great value; that he collected a multitude of interesting facts; and that his works hold a very important place in the zoological history of the age.

Contemporary with BUFFON was Mr. PENNANT, of Great-Britain, who is unquestionably entitled to a place among the greatest zoologists of the eighteenth century. By his writings, as valuable as they are voluminous, he contributed greatly to the advancement of this branch of natural history. He was the author of a new arrangement of Quadrupeds, more nearly resembling RAY'S, of the former century, than any other. On this subject his work may be pronounced equal to any, if not the best that has yet been presented to the student of nature. Within the same period, Professor BLUMENBACH, of Goettingen, distinguished himself by his zoological and physical inquiries, and particularly by a new method of arranging Quadrupeds. To these great names may be added that of Professor PALLAS, of Petersburgh, who, in zoology, as well as in several other branches of science, has done much, and is to be considered as ranking with the very first, if not as standing at the head of all the naturalists now living.

Besides these distinguished systematic writers on the subject of zoology in general, particular departments of the science have been cultivated, and greatly improved, by men scarcely less eminent, or less worthy of praise. Of some of these inquiries and publications a brief notice will be attempted.

It is proper to begin with the natural history of the first Linnæan class, the Mammalia. On this class almost all the great writers whose names were just mentioned, have made large and instructive publications. In addition to what has been accomplished by them, especially by LINNEUS, KLEIN,

PENNANT, and BUFFON, the labours of Professor E. ZIMMERMAN, of Brunswick, to throw light on this class of animals, do him great honour. His conception and execution of a Zoological Chart, accompanying his work on the Mammalia, may be considered as one of the most philosophical productions of the age. This ingenious invention has been extended and improved by M. JAUFFRET, a distinguished naturalist of France. Beside these, many others deserve notice for their successful labours in illustrating particular parts of this extensive field of inquiry.

Much has been done, during the last century, toward completing the natural history of man. In the list of experimenters and authors on this subject, ALBINUS, a Dutch naturalist, holds the first place, with respect to time. He was a very great anatomist; and was one of the first who attended, in a scientific manner, to the seat of colour in human beings. The next important publication, on the same branch of natural history, was by the celebrated JOHN REINHOLD FORSTER,' who threw considerable light upon it. He was followed by the Rev. Dr. SMITH, President of the College of NewJersey, who, in his ingenious and learned Essay on the Causes of the Variety of Complexion and Figure in the Human Species, gave a very instructive and interesting view of the subject. The natural history of man has also been treated in a more general way by BUFFON and VEREY,' of France; by BLUMENBACH, ZIMMERMAN," LUD

See FORSTER's Observations, &c. 4to. 1778.

Dr. SMITH'S Essay was favourably received not only in his own country, but also in Great-Britain, and on the continent of Europe, where several editions of it were circulated, in the English, French, and German languages.

s Natural History of Man, &c. 2 vols. 8vo.

t De Generis Humani Varietate Nativa, &c. Goettingen, 1795. Geographical History of Man, &c. 8vo. 3 vols. Leipsic, 1778.