The consideration in which Mr. Clinton was held as a diligent and successful cultivator of the natural sciences, was becoming daily more manifest. I have stated that his name was enrolled as a member of several of the most efficient institutions organized for this purpose in the United States, as well as of those abroad. He was lately admitted as an honorary member of that enterprising society, the New-York Lyceum of Natural History; and his merits were so highly appreciated in Europe, that his late distinguished friend and correspondent, Sir James Edward Smith, the President of the Linnæan Society of London, was about to recommend him as a fellow of the Royal Society of London. "I shall be proud to sign his certificate for that purpose," says Sir James, in a letter to myself, "and will confer with Sir Joseph Banks on the subject." An honour which the public services and zeal of Mr. Clinton in natural history justly entitled him to.

It has been remarked that Mr. Clinton's collections in natural history were, for their extent, extremely valuable to those who are solicitous of information concerning the natural treasures of our country. The excavations effected during the route of the Grand Canal, supplied him with numerous interesting fossils, and his repeated excursions through the western country, enabled him to observe many productions that might not otherwise have come to his knowledge. It was during one of these excursions, that he observed in the district of Coventry about Rome, a species or variety of wheat which he deemed indigenous. In the letters of Hibernicus, which are usually ascribed to Mr. Clinton, he thus speaks of this plant.

"The novelty of the idea pleased me so much, that I pursued the discovery through all its labyrinths and ramifications. Some years ago it was discovered in wet soil, and in a beaver meadow near Western, and also in a swamp covered with woods near Rome. Its stalk is more compact, and its leaves larger, than that of the common wheat. Its height is also greater, and except having short beards at the apex, it is in other respects bald. It is said to resist the power of frost, and to be proof against winter killing.

"Is this wheat indigenous, or was it imported and accidentally conveyed to the places where it is found? If the latter, why is not wheat found growing wild in more cultivated parts of the country? I am persuaded that it is an indigenous plant; and if so, it may be considered one of the greatest discoveries of the age. It is the vegetable destined by nature for this climate, and it casts light upon the natural history of the most important of the cerealia which has hitherto been enveloped in obscurity.

"Wheat grows in the old world from Egypt to Siberia, upwards of thirty degrees of latitude. Pennant says that wheat will ripen as high as latitude sixty-two north, but so uncertain is the crop throughout Sweden, that it is called the seed of repentance. A species of wheat which is called Siberian, and which has been found growing wild in that country, ripens in a latitude still more north than that laid down by Pennant. Kaimes observes, that - 'Writers upon natural history have been solicitous to discover the original climate of wheat, rice, barley, &c. (which must, from the creation, have grown spontaneously) but without much success. The original climate of plants left to nature cannot be kept a secret, but in countries well peopled, the plants mentioned are not left to nature; the seeds are carefully gathered and stored up for food. As this practice could not fail to make these seeds rare, agriculture was early thought of, which by introducing plants into new soils and new climates, has rendered the original climate obscure. If we can trace that climate it must be in regions destitute of inhabitants, or but thinly peopled. Anson found in the island Juan Fernandez many spots of ground covered with oats. While the French possessed Fort Dauphin, in the island of Madagascar, they raised excellent wheat. That station was deserted many years ago, and wheat to this day grows naturally among the grass in great vigour. In the country about Mount Tabor, in Palestine, barley and oats grow spontaneously. In the kingdom of Siam, there are many spots where rice grows year after year without any culture. Diodorus Siculus is our authority for saying, that in the territory of Leontinum and in other places of Sicily, wheat grew wild without any culture. And it does so at present about Mount Etna.' Diodorus Siculus also says that Isis was the discoverer of wheat and barley, and that Osiris taught the manner of cultivation. And according to Berosus, Mesopotamia abounded with wild wheat amongst the other indigenous plants.

"Tibullus says of Osiris,

Primus aratra manu solerti fecit Osiris,

Et teneram ferro sollicitavi humum.

"And Ovid thus speaks of Ceres:

Prima Ceres unco terram dimovit aratro,

Prima dedit leges.

"Why should not wheat grow spontaneously in New-York as well as in Sicily, Egypt, Mesopotamia, or Siberia? And the evidence of the fact is as complete in this particular as the nature of the case will admit. The plant was found in a wild state in places remote from thick settlement, which had never been cultivated, and it possesses peculiar characteristics and distinctive qualities. Besides, rye is found in a wild state, and it was frequently seen growing spontaneously before the settlement of the country. Lieutenant Governor Mercer, of Virginia, thus writes of this plant a long time before the revolutionary war: - 'The wild rye which grows every where in the Ohio country, is a species of the rye which is cultivated by the Europeans. It has the same bearded ear, and produces a farinaceous grain. The ear and grain in the wild state of this plant are less, and the beard of the ear is longer, than those of the cultivated rye, which makes this wild plant resemble more the rye grass in its appearance; but it differs in no other respect from the rye, and it shoots its spontaneous vegetation about the middle of November, as the cultivated rye doth.'

"As the indigenous existence of rye in this country is established beyond question, there can be no good reason to doubt the growth of wheat. This curious fact in natural history ought to be fully investigated and illustrated."

Mr. Clinton forwarded to this friends abroad a quantity of this grain, in the hopes of its successful cultivation in the old world. But as Sir James Edward Smith writes, in a letter dated April 1821, the experiments instituted for its culture failed. "These experiments required time: the consequently proved unfavourable as to the qualities of the wheat ascribed to it by Mr. Clinton." It is much to be regretted that success did not crown these efforts at the cultivation of the wild wheat; still the inquiry is open and ought to be pursued. Dr. Paris tells us in his late work on diet, -

The Linnæan Society of Natural History of Paris, having established a branch of their institution in New-York, Mr. Clinton at the anniversary of the Linnæan festival in May 1824, as president of the day, addressed this association is substance as follows:

"It is perhaps proper, and it certainly cannot be deemed exceptionable, to introduce the proceedings of this day by an exposition of the causes of its celebration. This day is the anniversary of the birth-day of Linnæus, one of those illustrious men who have enlightened the world. Natural science, which comprises a definition and investigation of all the material substances that exist, whether in an organic or inorganic shape, has from the earliest periods engaged the attention, and employed the faculties of philosophers. Some of the most beautiful and sublime images and illustrations in Holy writ, are derived from this source: and Solomon, who is pronounced to have been wiser than all men, spoke of trees from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall. He spake also of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes. This enumeration embraces almost all the principal objects of natural history. The most eminent naturalist of Greece was Aristotle, and of Rome, Pliny. The works of the latter particularly are a treasure of useful information, although disfigured by the interpolations of fiction. After a long night of Gothic darkness, the rays of knowledge again gladdened the earth: and inquiring spirit went forth, and vast collections of useful information were made, but they were for a long time in a state of chaos and mingled with fable. The transcendent merits of Linnæus consists not only in enlarging the sphere of natural science, but in devising a system by which an object could be recognised from the description, and in arranging all known substances, whether animate or inanimate, in their appropriate classes, orders, genera, and species. From that period natural history assumed its due rank in the scale of usefulness and estimation; discovery has been heaped upon discovery; and every region of the globe has been explored to augment the riches of science, and to increase the cabinets of naturalists.

"The Systema Naturææ of Linnæus, like all other human works, is not without its imperfections; and he has been followed by different descriptions of scientific men. One class was opposed to the system on the ground that it offered nothing worthy of approbation, and was either intrinsically erroneous, or greatly inferior to the old arrangements. Another class, allured by the glory which surrounded him, and desirous of establishing equal if not superior claims to celebrity, has gone on to multiply theories and systems, to degrade the science by nominal and spurious discoveries, and to darken it by barbarous nomenclatures. A third class has, with a profound reverence for its great master, endeavoured to correct his errors, to supply his deficiencies, and to push his discoveries and improvements to the utmost verge of practicability. The result of these various enterprises of genius and science has, upon the whole, been very propitious; but such great confusion has notwithstanding occurred, that another Linnæus is required to extricate the student and the inquirer from the perplexities which surround their walks and bewilder their progress.

"Some of the most distinguished savans of France, sensible of these embarrassments and difficulties, and desirous of concentrating their powers in a common focus for the promotion of science, have established a Linnæan Society, of which the illustrious Lacepede is president. The name which they have adopted, evinces their preference for the system of Linnæus. They have already published interesting works, have sent enlightened apostles into different parts of the globe, to communicate and to acquire information, and they have established scientific colonies in both hemispheres. The society now convened, is a branch of the institution of Paris. Several distinguished devotees of natural knowledge now present, are members, and Mr. Jefferson is an honorary associate, and has taken a warm interest in its prosperity. In order that due homage might be rendered to the memory of Linnæus, that the most animated incentives might be applied to the advancement of knowledge, and that the road to the temple of natural science, might be adorned with the offerings of genius, brightened by the smiles of beauty, and cheered by panegyrics, the natal day of the philosopher of Sweden was selected for a grand celebration; which should unite innocent amusement and solid instruction, and produce impressions propitious to the progress of the natural sciences. With this view we have now assembled; and if any of the ceremonies of the day shall not be strictly in unison with the prevailing taste of this country, let it be understood that the ritual is prescribed by the parent institution. And as the object is to please all, without offending any, it is hoped that our proceedings will not in any respect be viewed as a frivolous display, or as ostentatious pageantry.

"The votaries of science in all parts of the civilized world, are now crowning the tomb of Linnæus with the laurels of glory, and offering up thanks to the Source of all light, for having devoted such a master spirit to the illumination of a benighted world.

"The place which I now occupy, would be more suitably filled by some who are present, who have made greater advances in science, and who have reflected honour on their country, by their acquisitions and investigations. But I have been induced to appear in it, not from any ambitious aspiration after distinction, or any idle devotion to show, but from the suggestions of my associates, that it might be of service to the cause of science; and such an intimation from a quarter so respectable, I can never pass over with neglect. Many of the hours which I could spare from the pursuits of an active life, and from the studies immediately connected with my public avocations, have been devoted to natural science; and the enthusiasm which I cherish on this subject, is justified and enhanced by every contemplative view and every elaborate investigation.

"What a spacious field of inquiry offers in view! What a wide unbounded prospect lies before us! What ever-during honours must the various departments of zoology prepare for the fortunate investigator! The boundless regions of botany will furnish on every exploration chaplets and garlands of glory. Researches into the mineral kingdom will produce treasures of renown more valuable that the gold of Ophir, or the diamonds of Golconda. The genius of philosophy has not yet penetrated the depths of geology, nor proceeded far beyond the alphabet or the horn-book. Theory has followed theory, and speculation has supplanted speculation. The imagination has been consulted more than the judgment, and the airy castles of hypothesis have dazzled the fancy without enlightening the understanding. After a vast accumulation of facts, and perhaps a long afflux of time, some Bacon or Linnæus will rise up and change it from romance to science. Chemistry sprang from the crucible of the alchemist, like Pallas from the head of Jove; and even the erroneous movements of scientific investigation will finally contribute, by a heaven-directed impulse, to the cause of useful knowledge.

"With these animating prospects, with these exalted inducements, let us proceed to the duties of the day, ever bearing in mind that science is honour, and that knowledge is power; and that all their ways are ways of pleasantness, and all their paths are peace."

In the Discourse I have made reference to Mr. Clinton's papers on natural science, which appeared in the Transactions of the Literary and Philosophical Society of New-York, in those of the Lyceum of Natural History, and in the New-York Medical and Physical Journal. There are other papers of his which embrace inquiries instituted by himself, which have not been published. He laboured with much earnestness to vindicate the character of our aborigines; of this no other proof need be adduced that his Historical Address. He further corrected some prominent errors of Father Le Hontan. On that curious product, the canal cement, he wrote at considerable length: and his geological researches would have formed a most valuable body of information to scientific men on this subject. Mr. Clinton sustained the Wernerian theory, though he considered that philosophy had advanced no farther than the mere elements of geological science.

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Transcribed from the original text and html prepared by Bill Carr, last updated 5/22/99.