196 curious phenomena in natural history. Oct. Oe 
us in certain seasons ; as we will find that every one of 
them has its tafk afsigned to it for the general good. 
- Not to dwell on the more evident destination of 
“birds, beasts, and fifhes, of prey, to clear the earth 
of all kinds of dead carcases, which would otherwise 
cerrupt the air and water, there are myriads of m- 
sects, destined to consumeé every thing animal and 
vegetable, which has ceased to live: and they are so 
true to their trust, that they even dispute the pof- 
sefsion of the objects committed to their care, with 
maz, when he attempts to appropriate them ; so that 
the lord of the creation is obliged to employ all the 
resources of his superior faculties, to invent means 
of keeping at a distance so minute and insignificant 
an enemy, every time he seizes on its destined food. 
But as this necefsary, not wanton usurpation of 
man, on the food of insects, is continual, his clothes, 
and indeed every thing he makes use of from the ani- 
mal and vegetable kingdoms, coming within the de- 
scription, he is obliged to be incefsantly on his guard, 
to keep off the right owners, which makes the study 
of insects anecefsary branch of economics ; as it ig 
difficult to guard against an enemy you Scarce know 
by sight, and of whose stratagems, hiding places, 
metamorphoses, &c. you are perfectly ignorant. 
This incefsant warfare between man and insects, 
for his clothes, provisions, furniture, &c. (which 
by the bye, you fortunately know little about in the 
happy island, comparatively with what is felt on the 
three continents), 1s not without its use in the beau- 
tiful system of nature ; as nothing tends so much to 
force men to cleanlinefs and care of his property, nay 
