indignation, the most notorious quacks boasting the sanetion of a Scottish college, and offering their diplomas for the inspection of the sceptical and the ridicule of the inqui sitive. While such practices continue, their efforts for distinction, if indeed they make any, will be in vain, and the few and scandalous fees which their interested professors may receive, will be purchased by the sacrifice of every upright and honourable feeling, and by a proportional loss of other branches of emolument. Having in this manner obtained the degree of Doctor of Physic, Dr. Pulteney proceeded to London, where, after a due consultation of the family tree, he was declared a relation of the Earl of Bath, and appointed his physician with a handsome salary, which, however, he enjoyed only for a year, at the end of that period losing his patron by death. In consequence of this misfortune, he retired from the me-. tropolis to practise at Blandford in Dorsetshire, where he speedily acquired a considerable reputation and an increasing income. In this situation, his frequent excursions through the country, afforded him the opportunity of prosecuting his favourite science, and the Gentleman's Magazine no longer appearing sufficiently capacious to contain his extended conceptions, he ushered himself into public notice as the disciple of Linnæus, by his General View of the Writings of that philosopher. This work, Dr. Maton informs us with an air of admiration, was all sold in four years, though we are prudently kept in the dark as to the size of the impression. Previous to this publication, we now for the first time learn, that naturalists and botanists were considered by the bulk of the people as superficial triflers, like the collectors of curiosities, and were treated as objects of ridicule rather than respect. But Dr. Pulteney's View' removed this obscuring and envious cloud from the lovers. of natural science in England, it is no wonder then that Dr. Maton should worship with blind reverence at the shrine of his late friend. He may now (thanks to Dr. Pulteney,) hold his head far aloof from the chasers of butterflies, or the gatherers of two-headed heifers, and five-legged sheep he may now with holy contempt, survey the race of virtuoso who inundate our land, and beset our auction-rooms, nunting with rapacious eagerness after every thing that is monstrous or rare, or antique. It would have been hard indeed that. Vice-president of the Linnean Society should have ranked higher than a collector of mummies. A certain poet, hov eyer, has scarcely done the Doctor more justice than once di the bulk of the people; Physician art thou? one all eyes. Thus it is with the world, that what one admires, another disregards; and he is the wisest who wonders least and despises none at all. Dr. Pulteney afterwards published, in 1790, his Historical and Biographical Sketches of the Progress of Botany in England, of which the second volume was dedicated to that distinguished man, Dr. Garthshore, in company with Sir George Baker. This work was intended by its author to have contained an English Flora, in an abbreviated form, with notices of the place of growth, time of flowering, &c.' of every plant. From that idea, however, which seems to have nothing very profound in its conception, or difficult in its execution, Dr. P. was dissuaded by some persons who understood the art of book-making better than himself:' we fervently believe Dr. Maton has had advice from the same quarter. This work is spoken of in the life, in terms of much admiration; and it is asserted that it would undoubtedly, according to Dr.Pulteney's own hope and opinion, have been republished with many improvements, but for the singular reason of the first edition not being yet sold. We, cannot follow the many minute particulars of Dr. Pulteney's life, which are here recorded: it may be sufficient to remark, that the Doctor appears to have spent many years in active employment in his profession, with good reputation and prudent profit. His love of science brought him occasionally to London, and his love of money drew him back to the country, where he probably did more good both as a physician, and a natural philosopher, than he would have done in the more extensive circles of the metropolis. At length, a final period was put to his labours by an attack of inflammation of the lungs, of which he died in the seventy-second year of his age, leaving an affluent fortune. Among his bequests, we notice that of his museum to the Linnæan society, upon condition either of its being kept separate from all other collections, or of being sold, and the produce dedicated to the purchase of a medal, to be presented annually to the author of the best botanical paper, read to the society. Thus do the petty feelings of vanity look beyond the awful period of death, and the self-gratification of the testator is guarded almost from his own view by an imposing veil of beneficence, or public spirit. The life is concluded by an eulogium, of which we cannot pretend to determine the justice. It is, however, sufficiently ample even for the fervency of friendly enthusiasm; though some excuse for a little exaggeration may be found in the universal practice of biographers, whose extatic praises few read, and none believe. The next part of the work before us, the general View of the Writings of Linnæus,' has been long known and esteemed by the scientific world, and it was undoubtedly, when first published, a valuable compendium of botanical knowledge. At that time it was useful in a manner in which it cannot now operate, by drawing attention to the writings of the Swedish philosopher. The name of none of the favourite sons of science is at present, however, more known in this country than that of Linnæus. So far therefore this work can no longer afford the same advantages as at a former period; and arguing on these grounds, we have heard some censure thrown out upon the republication of Dr. Pulteney's View.' But to us it appears that a more ample consideration of the question will shew that there is still great benefit to be derived from this performance, which it cannot be doubted compresses into a moderate bulk, we wish we could add at a moderate price, a great deal of most useful information respecting the science of botany. He who can and will, may no doubt draw the greater part of this knowledge from the fountain-head of Linnaeus' writings. But while inability to procure a variety of expensive works, and want of time or activity to consult them, retard the studies of so great a proportion of mankind, we feel disposed to receive with gratitude the assistance of an able compendium. Upon the whole, we cannot refuse to Dr. Maton a due share of credit for his additions and corrections to this part of the volume, which, though not without errors and inaccuracies, is altogether very respectably executed, and may now really be called with justice a general View of the Writings of Linnæus, since it contains a notice of every work of that immortal botanist. Having already extended our observations on the life of Dr. Pulteney to a considerable length, and proposing to bestow some attention on the Diary' of Linnæus, we are unable to enter into minute details of this part of the work, to do which indeed is here the less necessary, that this part is the one which contains the least novelty, and regarding which the public opinion has been long settled. The most singular and most important division of the present volume, is that which has been styled by the editor, the Diary of Linnæus, though for what reason we do not pretend to discover, since so far from containing a notice of every day's transaction, months and years are passed over without the rude memorial' of a line. Not being willing, however, to dispute about the meaning or application of a word, we shall leave Dr. Maton in quiet possession of his Diary. With regard to the appearance of this relict of the father of botany at so late a period as the present, we have the following account given by the editor in his prefacé. At the latter end of the year 1799, M. Fredenheim, son of Dr. Menander, Archbishop of Upsala, conveyed to Robert Gordon, Esq. merchant at Cadiz, a number of manuscripts to be printed in England. Mr. Gordon dying, however, the publication did not take place in the manner intended, but the manuscripts were disposed of (could they be sold?) to Dr.Maton, with the consent of M. Fredenheim's heirs. Among these papers was found a folio manuscript book, in Swedish, entitled, Vita Caroli Linnæi, to which are affixed, in the inside, M. Fredenheim's coat of arms. So far it is well, though we do not learn by what means the archbishop's son does not bear his father's name. Our ignorance of Swedish customs, however, prevents us from resting much weight upon this objection. Let us proceed with the account of the circum-, stances in which this Diary is presented to the public as an authentic document. A imemorandum is extracted from the Swedish manuscript, by M. Fredenheim, which states that Linnæus, in 1770, sent to Archbishop Menander, his Curriculum vitæ, which we suppose means the Diary, though it has already been styled the Vita Caroli Linnæi,' It is also asserted in some very complex and obscure sentences, to have been dictated by Linnæus himself, and partly translated into Latin by the archbishop. Some extracts of copies of letters are likewise given, in one of which, Linnæus appears to have sent this Diary, in 1762, to his friend, in another not till 1770, and this inconsistency is the most striking circumstance of the doubt-exciting kind that we perceive. The manuscript itself also is chiefly written, as Dr Matou asserts, by Dr. Lindwall, a pupil of Linnæus, but different hand-writing may be discerned. On these grounds rests the authenticity of this production; and though some stumbling circunstances may be pointed out, they are not so great as wholly to invalidate the authority of the Diary, though sufficient to give reason for some suspiciou. Nor are we sure that, upon the whole, the proving of the authenticity of this Diary will add greatly to the honor of its composer, though the public will without all question, 6 from motives not always the purest, relish the entertain ment. After an introduction describing the native place and ancestors of Linnæus, which passage, we suppose, is Dr. Maton's addition, the birth of the hero of the tale is announced with minute particularity, as having happened between 12 and 1 o'clock in the night dividing the and of May, 1707, which in a style resembling that of the modern French calendar, is described as a delightful season between the months of frondescense and florescence. His botanical turn of mind is ridiculously stated to have commenced when he was four years of age, and some tolerable praises are bestowed on his infantile abilities. In due time, he was put to school, and bitter complaints are made of his ardour being changed to disgust by the severities of his masters. These severities, no doubt, have their just bounds, but we believe more learning has been whipped into boys than was ever whipped out of them. Linnæus, however, proceeding from school to the gymnasium, still persisted in his preference of the study of natural science, and his neglect of the theological pursuits for which he was intended, and in consequence he narrowly escaped being sent by his father to be apprenticed to a shoemaker. Having, however, happily avoided this fate, he speedily became distinguished for his progress in science and his backwardness in other knowledge, and was sent to the university with a very scurvy certificate implying that he had done so ill at the gymnasium, that his only chance was to try another method of instruction. Linnæus then went to the University of Lund, which he afterwards quitted for that of Upsal, where he lived in great poverty, eat when he could, and patched his own shoes with folded paper. By an accident he became acquainted with Celsius, who received him into his house and relieved him from the pressure of waut, He then began to obtain pupils, and formed connections with the most rising men of the university; in a short time also he was appointed to lecture on botany. This situation, however, by envy and intrigue was rendered unpleasant to our author, and he accepted the offer of going to Lapland, for the purpose of making observations and discoveries in natural knowledge. This journey he performed, and after running great risks and suffering many hardships, on his return to Stockholm he was presented by the academy of sciences with ten pounds. Linnæus then obtained an exhibition of five pounds a year, and de-i livered lectures on assaying at seven shillings a head, by which means he succeeded in attracting a numerous 1 |