INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 

 Ibefore, but in these days a man thinks himself nq 

 philosopher, unless he can altogether obliterate, an4 

 for ever do away the collected wisdom of the age§ 

 that are past, in order, in its stead, to erect a novel 

 system of his own : this is the case in religion, 

 morals, politics, and philosophy; and in all these 

 this K(XivoiJia.vio^ has produced the most mischievous 

 effects. But it ought to be recollected, that if the 

 iiimsy, and destructive web of a spider be the work 

 of a single insect and spun in an hour, yet that to 

 form and replenish the admirable structure sheltered 

 by the hive, it requires, and for the best portion of 

 the year, the united labours of myriads of indus- 

 trious bees. Just emblems of the patient efforts of 

 genuine science. 



Had Fabricius, instead of overturning, employed 

 himself in giving those improvements to the system 

 of Linneus, of which it is capable, and which in- 

 deed it demands; the entomological world would 

 have been his debtor; and under so skilful a hand, 

 the science, instead of being thrown back, would 

 Jiave made considerable advances. Whereas, in the 

 system that he has produced,, what have we gained 

 but a confused mass of unnatural classes, founded 

 upon evanescent characters, designated by barba- 

 rous names, and puzzling the student with old 

 terms turned aside from their original signification^ 

 ^nd improperly applied to new objects (-^) ? 



(k) E. G. Maxilla, Labium, Clypeus, &c. 



J shoulc| 



