O INSECT ARCHITECTURE. 



the science, '^ Aristotle among the Greeks, and Phny 

 the Elder among the Romans, may be denominated 

 the fathers of Natural History, as well as the greatest 

 philosophers of their day; yet both these made 

 insects a principal object of their attention: and in 

 more recent times, if we look abroad, what names, 

 greater than those of Redi, Malpighi, Vallisnieri, 

 Swammerdam, Leeuwenhoek, Ri aumur, Linnaeus, 

 De Geer, Bonnet, and the Hubers? and at home, 

 what philosophers have done more honour to their 

 country and to human nature than Ray, Willoughby, 

 Lister, and Derham? Yet all these made the study 

 of insects one of their most favourite pursuits."* 



And yet this study has been considered, by 

 those who have superficially examined the subject, 

 as belonging to a small order of minds; and the 

 satire of Pope has been indiscriminately applied 

 to all collectors, while, in truth, it only touches 

 those who mistake the means of knowledge for 

 the end: — 



'* O! would the sons of men once think their eyes 

 And reason given them but to study Flies! 

 See Nature in some partial, narrow shape. 

 And let the Author of the whole escape; 

 Learn but to trifle; or, who most observe, 

 To wonder at their Maker not to serve, "t 

 Thus exclaims the Goddess of Dulness, sweeping 

 into her net all those who study nature in detail. 

 But if the matter were rightly appreciated, it would 

 be evident that no part of the works of the Creator 

 can be without the deepest interest to an inquiring 

 mind; and that a portion of creation, which exhibits 

 such extraordinary manifestations of design as is 

 shewn by insects, must have attractions for the very 

 highest understanding. 



An accurate knowledge of the properties of insects 



* Introduction to Entomology, vol. i. 

 "t Dunciad, book iv. 



