PREFACE. 



from reafoning man, through every fpecies 

 of animal life, till it defcends to that point 

 where fenfe is wholly extind:, and vegetation 

 commences : and certainly none will deny, 

 that life, and voluntary motion are fuperior 

 to a mere vegetating principle, or the more 

 inadlive ftate of the foffil kingdom. 



Should we follow the train of reflections 

 which naturally arife from the contemplation 

 of animals, they would fwell this preface 

 into a volume : and fliould we only mention 

 the various ufes of Britijh animals in com- 

 mon life, yet even thefe would greatly exceed 

 the bounds to which we have thought it 

 right to limit ourfelves. The knov/lege of 

 Dicefetics is a neceflary branch of medicine, 

 as by a proper attention to that article, an 

 obftinate diftcmper may be eradicated, when 

 common remedies have failed ; but this can 

 never be attained, without the ftudy of 

 Zoology, which affifts us greatly in learning 

 the different qualities of animal food; and 

 how far a difference of nutriment may con- 

 tribute to cure the difeafe. 



Cloathing is effential, not only to our com- 

 fort, but fubfiflence; and the number of 

 our manufadures, relative to this fingle ar- 

 ticle. 



XY 



