INTRODUCTORY LETTER. 19 



I shall not here repeat what I owe to the late H. Boie; 

 my feeble words would not suffice to express the senti- 

 ments which I feel in retracing in my memory the 

 moments which the company of this unfortunate philo- 

 sopher rendered so precious. His mildness, his kindness, 

 and all the qualities of a noble and elevated spirit, made 

 him to be beloved by all who knew him ; a philanthropist 

 as zealous as enlightened, he employed his vast erudition 

 only to make it profitable to his friends, and his discoveries 

 were the secret of the w hole world. I had the good for- 

 tune to enjoy daily intercourse with this excellent man, 

 and I only regret that this intercourse w^as but of too short 

 duration. Boie washed to confide to me, at his departure, 

 the vast number of observations which have been pub- 

 lished by his brother ; on arriving in the Indies, he did not 

 cease to communicate to me his notes on the manners and 

 mode of life of OiDhidians, which I have taken care to 

 embody in my book. His young pupil and friend, M. 

 MiJLLER, a worthy successor in his labours, has followed 

 so bright an example in communicating to us a great 

 number of drawings executed from the life by our de- 

 ceased friend, the young Van Oort. Several other 

 friends, among whom I especially reckon MM. St Clair 

 Massiah, Professor Cantraine, and M. Susanna, ad- 

 ministrator of the Museum, have sought to assist me 

 by their talents. I offer them my sincere thanks. Lastly, 

 I cannot terminate these pages without returning thanks 

 to the preceptors of my early youth, MM. De Winkler 

 and Professor Schmid of Altenburg in Saxony : if 

 there be any merit in my works, as regards the art of 

 writing, it should be attributed to the second : the first 

 inspired me with that profound taste for the study of Na- 

 tural History, which decided me afterw^ards to devote 

 myself wholly to this beautiful science. 



I believe I have said all that is necessary for the 

 understanding of my book. Its end will be gained if it 

 obtain your approbation. Sir, and if it be favourably re- 

 ceived by that part of the public which prefers simplicity 

 to innovations. 



H. Schlegel. 



