xli PREFACE. 



of one thing, viz. that if we ftudy and 

 follow nature, whatever paths we are led 

 into, we (hall at laft arrive at fomething 

 valuable to ourfelves and others, but of 

 what kind we muft be content to remain 



Ignorant. 



I am fcnfible that after all i have faid^ or 

 can fay, many people will not be perluaded 

 to allow that the ftudy of fbme parts of na- 

 tural hiftory can be worthy of a rational 

 creature. They wnll never vouchfafe to 

 look on molles and infedls in this light. 

 Yet why may not the ftudy of thefe like- 

 wife have its ufe in future times ? It ought 

 to be confidered that the number of the 

 latter is immenfe, that it is but lately that 

 any great attention has been paid to them, 

 that one of them is and has been long the 

 means of cloathing thoufands and feeding 

 more, that another affords us honey, ano- 

 ther a fine dye, not to mention fome few 

 befides, of acknowledged benefit to man- 

 kind. Laftly, that they are capable of 

 doing us the greateft mifchief, and that it 

 is poflible that a more thorough knowledge 



of 



