18 INTRODUCTORY LETTER. 



And if we value diligence and indefatigable industry; 

 judgement, prudence, and foresight; economy and fru- 

 gality ; if we look upon modesty and diffidence as female 

 ornaments ; if we revere parental affection — of all these, 

 and many more virtues, insects in their various instincts 

 exhibit several striking examples, as you will see in the 

 course of our correspondence. 



With respect to religious instruction insects are far 

 from unprofitable ; indeed in this view Entomology 

 seems to possess peculiar advantages above every other 

 branch of Natural History. In the larger animals, 

 thoujih we admire the consummate art and wisdom ma- 

 nifested in their structure, and adore that Almighty 

 power and goodness which by a wonderful machinery, 

 kept in motion by the constant action and re-action of 

 the great positive and negative powers of Nature, main- 

 tains in full force the circulations necessary to life, per- 

 ception, and enjoyment; yet as there seems no dispro- 

 portion between the objects and the different operations 

 that are going on in them, and we see that th.^y affb.d 

 sufficient space for the play of their systems, we do not 

 experience the same sensations of wonder and astonish- 

 ment that strike us when we behold similar operations 

 carried on without interruption in animals scarcely visi- 

 ble to the naked eye. That creatures, which in the scale 

 of being are next to non-entities, should be elaborated 

 with so much art and contrivance, have such a number 

 of parts both internal and external, all so highly finished 

 and each so nicely calculated to answer its end ; that 

 they should include in this evanescent form such a va- 

 riety of organs of perception and instruments of motion, 

 exceeding in number and peculiarity of structure those 



