34 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



mifer under the neceflity of employing a good 

 many hands in ftirring about and fifting his grain, 

 till they force him at laft to difpofe of it altoge- 

 ther. How many poor wretches would go naked, 

 if the moth did not devour the wardrobes and 

 warehoufes of the rich ! What is moft wonderful 

 here, is, that the articles which minifter to luxury 

 are not liable to perifh by infeds, as thofe which 

 are fubfervient to the moftpreffjng wants of human 

 life. It is poflible to preferve, without any dimi- 

 nution of value, coffee, lilk, and cottons, even for 

 ages ; but in India, where thefe commodities are 

 real neceffaries of life, there are infeds which 

 quickly corrode them, particularly cotton. 



The infefts which attack the human body 

 equally oblige the rich to employ thofe who have 

 nothing, as domeftics, to keep up cleanlinefs 

 around them. The Incas of Peru exafted even 

 this tribute of the poor ; for in all countries thefe 

 infeds attach themfelves to Man, though it may 

 have been faid, that they did not pafs the line. 

 Befides thefe infeéts are rather teizing than noxi- 

 ous : they draw off the bad blood. As they im- 

 moderately increafe only in great heats, they in- 

 vite us to have recourfe to bathing, which is fo 

 wholefome, and yet fo much neglefted among us, 

 becaufe being expenfive, it is become an objed of 

 luxury. 



After 



