4 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



God's works and God's word, " though each iri 

 different sort and manner," uniting to declare the 

 same truths, and, with one voice, impelling us for- 

 ward to the attainment of the true end of our being, 

 the knowledge and enjoyment of him, who is 

 essential powee, wisdom, and love, through 

 that BLESSED person, who having first created 

 us, afterwards assumed our nature and died for us, 

 and in that world of realities of which this is only 

 the type and the shadow. May that day ever more 

 and more approach ; to hasten its dawn is the pe- 

 culiar office and duty of the naturalist, who is the 

 Hierophant in the great temple of nature ; and this 

 can only be effected by opening our eyes to the 

 light which nature herself affords to those who 

 seek for truth : by recording, not our own private 

 hypotheses, but our discoveries; by improving, 

 instead of destroying, what others have done ; by 

 retaining what is already discovered of the natural 

 system, and endeavouring to add to it; remem- 

 bering always that we are not the heralds of our 

 own fame, but of the glory of our God. So that 

 we may ever be willing to exclaim in the words of 

 the divine psalmist: " The works of Jehovah 

 are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure 

 therein. His work only is excellent, and his praise 

 above the earth and heaven." 



Of all the departments of the animal kingdom, 

 the entomological affords the fairest opportunity 

 of discovering the natural classes ; and accordingly 



the 



