"The system of nature is a mirror of God's wisdom."

"If you do not know the names of things, the knowledge of them is lost, too."

"Yet man does recognise himself [as an animal]. But I ask you and the whole world for a generic differentia between man and ape which conforms to the principles of natural history, I certainly know of …"

"The whole world is a collection of wonders."

"By a botanist I mean one who understands how to observe the genera of Nature. I judge unworthy of the name of botanist the meddlesome person who is indifferent to genera."