•793* "" the study of natural history. 281 



cle de la nature, and such of the prefaces of Buffbn, 

 as your parents may think proper for your peru- 

 sal. 



As some of the contemplations de la nature, of Mr 

 Bonnet, have in them nothing that is very deep or 

 fanciful, but much that warms ;the mind to piety 

 and virtue in the view of the works of the Creator 

 of the universe, these you may read with great 

 satisfaction and with a beneficial effect. 



Having thus obtained an apprehension of the no- 

 ble scope of natural history, w,ith regard to religion 

 and morals, you may then enter gradually into the 

 detail of whatever branch of that immense study you 

 fiiall happen decidedly to prefer. If birds attract 

 your choice, you have Smellie's translation of 

 BufFon's Ornithology ; or you may read it v/ith great 

 advantage to your French excercises in the original, 

 as the count de BufFon is not lefs eminent for his 

 eloquence than his learning. The quotations or refe- 

 ferences in the margin will lead you always easily 

 to the further and more minute examination of any 

 particular subject : as for example if you wifli to en- 

 ter into the detail of singing birds, or birds suppo- 

 sed to be of pafsage from one country to another, 

 you can read Mr Barrington on these subjects, in 

 the Philosophical Transactions of London, and Mr 

 Pennant in his Britifli Zoology, a book likewise 

 which in its whole tifsue will deserve your com- 

 plete perusal when you have once, by means of Mr 

 Kerr's translation of the Linnean system, made your- 

 self fully acqiiaintad with the method of distinguilli- 



I'OL. xvi. N N t 



