SEPTENARY SYSTEM. 235 



proposition Which it contained. The bitter and declaniatory 

 language of these criticisms was, doubtless, intended to super- 

 sede the necessity of argument, as by this devise the various 

 scribes cunningly preclude the possibility of a reply. Still 

 though there has appeared nothing like a refutation of th^ 

 proposition contained in '' Sphinx Vespiformis," I am unable to 

 boast of success in the way of proselytism. Unwillin^ that a 



sTntTnt: b • ''"n ^^ '' ^'^ ^"^^'^-"^ --' ^^-"M - ea^; 

 smk into oblivion, I have attempted, in the following pa^es 

 again to call the attention of Entomologists to the subject, f am 

 ifte^TinTnT' '"'"^"^ Entomologists, who say that 

 th! tl ^"^PP^.^^^'^^^.i^ -y-^^f-1 purpose; and, therefore, 

 hat the inquiry is an idle one. Others, however, think differ: 

 emly, and regard system as the high object and aim of their 

 .e.earches. It is to the latter class I more particularly address 



It will be my endeavour to avoid entirely the dangerous and 

 difficult subject of affinity and analogy. If either of^he words 

 occur, It will be incidentally, and without any reference to their 



It IS difficult wholly to exclude words in common use, yel I Sm 

 persuaded, that a great benefit would be conferred on zoology 

 It every word were restricted to one decided meaning, and em- 

 ployed with that meaning only. In attempting to attain this 

 precision, writing may occasionally appear pedantic, but even 

 this fault IS preferable to that of vagueness. 



The object of the present article is not to retrace the argu- 

 ments employed in " Sphinx Vespiformis," but to supply some 

 deficiencies which occur therein. It will not, however, I 

 rus , be deemed an unnecessary prolixity if I here recapi- 

 tulate the principles ofthe Septenary System. They are these :- 

 1st. Ihat a natural groups are divisible into seven minor 

 groups. 2dly. That in all groups thus composed of seven- 

 minor groups, one of such minor groups contains beings more 

 perfect than those in the other six. Sdlv. That each of the six 

 mmor groups contains individuals equally related to the more 

 perfect group, though each probably through some different 

 character 4thly. That each of the inferior groups containing 

 mdividuals equally related to the more perfect group, such rela- 

 tion could only be accommodated by placing the more perfect 

 group m the centre, and the others around it, f/ms— 



