28 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 



all-wise, all-good — his watchful providence is ever, 

 and every where, at work for the preservation of all 

 things. 



But since mankind in general are too apt to look 

 chiefly at this world, and to regard things as impor- 

 tant or otherwise in proportion as they are connected 

 with sublunary interests, and promote our present wel- 

 fare, I shall proceed further to prove that the study 

 of insects may be productive of considerable utility, 

 even in this view, and may be regarded in some sort 

 as a necessary or at least a very useful concomitant of 

 many arts and sciences. 



The importance of insects to us both as sources of 

 good or evil, I shall endeavour to prove at large here- 

 after ; but for the present, taking this for granted, it 

 necessarily follows that the study of them must also be 

 important. For when we suffer from them, if we do 

 not know the cause, how are we to apply a remedy 

 that may diminish or prevent their ravages ? Igno- 

 rance in this respect often occasions us to mistake our 

 enemies for our friends, and our friends for our ene- 

 mies ; so that when we think to do good we only do 

 harm, destroying the innocent and letting the guilty 

 escape. Many such instances have occurred. You 

 know the orangei-coloured fly of the wheat ( Tipula 

 Tritici, Kirby in Linn. Trans. Cecidom^ia, Latr.), and 

 have read the account of the damage done by this little 

 insect to that important grain ; you are aware also that 

 it is given in charge to three little parasites to keep it 

 w ithin due limits ; yet at first it was the general opi- 

 nion of unscientific men, that these destroyers of our 



