LETTER XLVIII. 
HISTORY OF ENTOMOLOGY. 
AFTER the very general idea that I have attempted to 
embody for you of the System of Insects ; of the groups 
in which nature has arranged them, and their mutual 
relations ; it will not be out of place, if I next state to 
you what has been effected by Entomologists towards 
reducing them to order: or, in other words, if I give you 
some account of the various MetJiods and Systems a , be- 
ginning with the earliest, that have appeared and had 
their day, which will include a history of the progress of 
our science from its commencement to its present era. 
In writing the history of any science, two modes pre- 
sent themselves. We may either give a chronological re- 
view of all the circumstances and publications connected 
with it ; or content ourselves with a rapid survey, dwell- 
ing only on the principal epochs, and those lights of the 
science who by their immortal labours gave birth to 
them. The latter is that on every account best suited 
to our present purpose, which I shall therefore here 
adopt. 
There seem to me to be seven principal epochs into 
which the History of Entomology may be divided : viz. 
* Sec above, p. 3G4 — . 
