OFNATURE. 41 



I am very fenfiblc, being confcious of m/ 

 own weaknefs, how vaft and difficult a fubjcdl 

 it is, and how unable i am to treat it as it de- 

 ferves ; a fubjcd which would be too great a 

 talk for the ability of the moft experienced 

 and fagacious men, and which properly per- 

 formed would furnifh materials for large vo- 

 lumes. My defign therefore is only to give 

 a fummary view of it, and to fet forth to the 

 learned world, as far as i am able, whatever 

 curious, worthy to be known, and not ob- 

 vious to every obferver occurs in the triple 

 kingdom of nature. Thus if what the in- 

 duftry of others fhall in future times difcover 

 in this way be added to thefe obfervations, 

 it is to be hoped, that a common flock rnay 

 thence grow, and corne to be of fome im- 

 portance. But before i examine thefe three 

 kingdoms of nature, it will not, i think, be 

 amifs to fay fomething concerning the earth 

 in general, a;id its changes. 



§. 2. 

 The world, or the terraqueous globe, v/hich 

 we inhabit, is every where furrounded with ele- 

 ments, and contains in its fuperncies the three 

 kingdoms of nature, as they are called j the/?/- 



