ART. III. A Selection of the Correspondence of Linnæus, and other Naturalists, from the original Manuscripts. By Sir James Edward Smith, M.D. F. R. S. &c. &c., President of the Linnæan Society. 2 Vols. 8vo. About 600 Pages in each. 17. 10s. Boards. Longman and Co. 1821.

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HE propriety of consigning to the press the private letters of individuals, who have closed their earthly pilgrimage, is in most cases extremely questionable: but, when the correspondence of illustrious men has for its main object the promotion of science, or the moral good of the community, it may, without any breach of delicacy, be regarded as in some measure public property, and deserving of the most unlimited circulation. It is probable that most of the epistles, with which we are presented in the volumes before us, were never designed to see the light; yet, as they principally relate to botany and natural history, they may be fairly construed as supplements to our previous knowlege of the respective writers, and of their opinions on a great variety of points connected with those departments of science. The considerations, however, which are most likely to operate against the popular reception of a work like this, are that many of the topics of discussion, which stimulated the most discerning observers half a century ago, are now put to rest; that few copies of Linné's own letters have been preserved; and that the biographical notices are too succinct to excite great general interest. We are confident, nevertheless, that the genuine lovers of physical knowlege will contemplate these specimens of the exertions of their distinguished predecessors with fond and affectionate regard, and will cheerfully lend their suffrage to have the remainder drawn from obscurity. The philosophic student of human nature, also, cannot be indifferent to those traits of character and disposition, which the unrestrained intercourse of the learned and the wise is so eminently calculated to exhibit.

In the selection of his materials, the zealous President of the Linnéan Society has liberally drawn from those stores which he acquired from the heirs of the great Swedish naturalist, as well as from the generous communications of the daughter of the late Mr. Ellis, and from Miss Currer, granddaughter and heiress of Dr. Richardson, the personal friend and correspondent of the most celebrated botanists of his day. The public correspondence of Linné and Haller has also been laid under contribution; and several inedited but interesting letters have been supplied by the kindness of the venerable Mr. Nichols, author of the "Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century." From the same

sources

sources we are led to expect the appearance of many additional articles, should the portion now submitted to the world be found to create curiosity and encouragement. In the mean time, the learned editor's choice has been principally regulated by a preference to correspondence with Bri tish naturalists, to subjects connected with England, and to all that might throw any new light on the character of Linné and his son. The originals are mostly written in English, and have received necessary corrections only, with some slight abridgments. The translations are distinguished by mention of their original language. The very few French letters it has not been thought requisite to translate. The editor has supplied such notes as appeared necessary, with the established Linnæan names of the various subjects of natural history; a work of some difficulty in the letters of Haller, who usually speaks of plants by vague phrases, from memory only, and often very imperfectly. Biographical memoirs of some of the chief contributors to this collection are prefixed to their letters. These are principally those of Collinson, Ellis, and Garden, in the first volume; and of Solander, Dillenius, and Mutis, in the second.'

Although Mr. Collinson was one of the Friends, his style is marked by no peculiarities of phraseology, or affected stiffness of deportment, his sentences being quite plain, short, and unstudied: but, on one or two occasions, we rather marvel at the exuberance of his openness. Thus, he conveys a gentle hint for a quid pro quo: My good friend, I must tell you freely, though my love is universal in natural history, you have been in my museum, and seen my little collection, and yet you have not sent me the least specimen of either fossil, animal, or vegetable. Seeds and specimens I have sent you from year to year, but not the least returns. It is a general complaint that Dr. Linnæus receives all, and returns nothing. This I tell you as a friend, and as such I hope you will receive it in great friendship. As I love and admire you, I must tell you honesly what the world says.' Again: But, my dear friend, we that admire you are much concerned that you should perplex the delightful science of botany with changing names that have been well received, and adding new names quite unknown to us. Thus botany, which was a pleasant study, and attainable by most men, is now become, by alterations and new names, the study of a man's life, and none now but real professors can pretend to attain it. As I love you, I tell you our sentiments.' This reprobation of neology, though couched in still stronger terms by the Earl of Bute, is somewhat unreasonable: but

we

we are not favoured with Linné's answers to such unceremonious criticism, if, indeed, he deigned to notice it in writing. For the rest, Collinson's letters sufficiently evince his zeal as a naturalist, and the genuine worth and piety of his mind. We may, moreover, collect from them two physical facts, which may surprise some of our readers; namely, that the peach and the nectarine are specifically identical, and that milder springs and warmer summers prevailed in England in his time than we now enjoy.

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'I cannot,' says the editor, but subjoin the following remarks, written July 7th, 1808, by a very eminent and learned friend, to whom the preceding letters were communicated:

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Many thanks for the perusal of Collinson's letters, which I return with this. I have edified much on the subject of the Springs, which appear at that time to have been much milder than at present. We have now, for many years, had hard winters occasionally, and an almost constant succession of ungenial Springs. The seasons are, I conclude, subject to these variations. The series of mild Springs, which ended about the year 1785 or 1786, seems to have begun at least as early as 1749, and to have lasted 36 years. Our present series of cold Springs has yet lasted only 23 years. Of course, we have 13 bad years to come, before we can expect violets and narcissuses in January, and grapes ripe in the beginning of September."

These 13 years are now (1820) approaching to a conclusion; and we may at least indulge in the "pleasures of hope," that the apparent deterioration of our climate (so generally felt, that any hypothesis is admitted, without foundation or examination, to account for it,) may soon come to an end.'

If, in this island of mutation and variety, one season could be safely regarded as typical of a series, we might then fearlessly assert that the mild cycle had again recommenced.

No inconsiderable portion of the first volume is allotted to the correspondence with Mr. Ellis; that accurate and highly gifted observer, who first unfolded in a satisfactory manner the animal nature of many marine productions, which were formerly classed with vegetables, or supposed to occupy an intermediate section between the two great departments of organized matter. His numerous communications are characterized by more correctness and refinement of writing than those of Mr. Collinson, while they bespeak not less zeal and activity in the pursuit of scientific truth. This series of the publication derives also a high degree of interest from the greater portion of Linné's letters to Ellis having been preserved,

* A misprint, we presume, for I have been much edified. Rev.

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The most important facts, however, to which these epistles relate, have long been before the public; and the naturalist will peruse the documents themselves rather as curious records of the state of his favorite science at the time in which they were written, and as illustrations of the impulse which the ardour and talents of a few individuals may communicate to the most extensive and complicated pursuits, than as the vehicles of new information. Whoever is conversant, therefore, with the writings of the Swedish naturalist, and with Mr. Ellis's masterly essays on Corals and Corallines, as also with his papers inserted in the Philosophical Transactions, would scarcely thank us for any formal analysis of the many letters which seem to have passed between these too distinguished observers of the works of nature. Yet it would be unpardonable to pass unnoticed the spirit of pure and warm friendship, and the eager desire for accurate knowlege, which pervade this amiable and lettered interchange of statements and opinions. Linné, indeed, occasionally indulges in a strain of apparent adulation, scarcely suitable to the dispassionate inquirer after truth: but his fervid imagination, and the sensibility of his heart, spontaneously prompted a romantic energy of expression, which must not be confounded with the vile incense of subserviency and dependance.

As specimens of this part of the work, we extract the following letters, nearly at random.

LINNAEUS TO ELLIS. (Latin.)

My dear Friend, Upsal, Oct. 1767. I received yours, in which you speak of the living seeds of Fungi, asserting that you have only seen the animalcula infusoria, moving the powder of these vegetables.

I am not able rightly to understand whether you have actually seen the animalcula or not. If really so, they ought, at the end of 14 days, to begin to attach themselves to the bottom of the glass, first a solitary one, then several more adjoining to it, till almost all of them are thus become fixed; after which they grow up into Fungi.

With respect to the animalcula infusoria themselves, unless I am totally mistaken, I think I have seen these to be the living seeds of Mould, Mucor. But before I venture to put forth such an opinion, I beg of you to lend me your lynx-like eyes; and you will see in the vessel or glass, where there is so little water that it may soon evaporate, whether these bodies do not change to plants of Mucor. This point is of the greatest importance, and if my ideas be correct, we shall no longer be surprized at the quantity of such animalcula in common water, any more than at the mould itself on decaying food, &c. I beg and intreat of you not to slight my request. You will find it worth your while to look

closely

closely into the nature of these minute beings, as they are related, though remotely, to your own marine animalcula. Every body wonders at the animalcula infusoria being produced by an infusion of pepper, and such substances; whereas the difficulty vanishes if they belong to Mucor; for pepper, if long kept moist, is as liable to grow mouldy as any thing else.

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Having once discovered the little worms in the Ustilago, by the help of the microscope, I can now see them with my naked eyes, though less distinctly; and I showed them a fortnight ago to some of my pupils.

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• What you mention in your last, as having sent me, are not yet come to hand.

'I am anxious to hear of Mr. Solander's recovery.

The 2d volume of my Systema, which treats of plants, will

appear soon.

Cannot you procure for me some seeds of Ellisia? I have corrected its character, according to your kind instructions. Farewell! May you long live, to the honour and benefit of our most lovely science!'

ELLIS TO LINNEUS.

My dear Friend, London, Oct. 30. 1767. I have received your obliging letter about the seeds of Fungi being animated. By your letter, you seem to think, that the seeds of the Fungi are animated, or have animal life, and move about; my experiments convince me of the contrary. I must first let you know, that I am convinced that in almost all standing, or even river water, there are the eggs, and often the perfect animals, of those you call animalcula infusoria. As soon as these meet with their proper pabulum, they grow and increase in numbers, equal to the Musca vomitoria. I often have examined river water and pond water, and scarce ever found it without some species of these animalcula, especially in summer and autumn: besides, the same animalcula that attack, eat, and move about the farina, or seeds of the Fungi, do the same with other vegetables, as I have lately been convinced of by a fair experiment. I have tried at your request my experiments over again, and shewed them to D. C. Solander. I will keep these infusions according to your desire 14 days, and examine the particulars you desire of the animalcula fixing themselves, first one, then many more, to the bottom of the glass; and will endeavour to find out what you mean by their " growing up into Fungi." If you mean that animalia infusoria, when they are dead, are a proper pabulum for Mucor, I agree with you; for I have many animal substances that are covered with Mucor, even between the Muscovy Tales (or Glacies Maria) used on purpose for microscopic animals, in the microscope. But what appears to me most difficult to comprehend is, for instance, I have now a Lycoperdon Bovista, which I received from our good friend P. Collinson four days ago. I put part of it into river water, and in two days' time I perceived the seeds or farina of it moving about distinctly. The fourth day I perceived the figure of the animalcula that moved them. Åre

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