R E F A C E. 



THE fubjed of this volume is the Hijlory of Man^ by which I 

 mean, not what is commonly called Hiftory, that is the Hif- 

 tory of Nations and Empires, but the Hiftory of the Species Man^ 

 a work of very great extent and variety; for man is not only 

 diftinguiflied from the other animals of this earth, by being the no- 

 bleft animal; but he isalfothe moft various, not only in his compofi- 

 tion, being, as the antients faid, a microcofme or little world^ con- 

 taining the intelledtual, the animal, and vegetable, life, but alfo by 

 his having palled through a greater variety of ftates than any other 

 animal we know. It is, therefore, as I have faid, a work of fucli 

 extent and variety, that no author, ancient or modern, has fo much 

 as attempted it. Ariftotle has written a moft comprehenfive and 

 moft various work, which he entitles the Hijlory of Animals : And it 

 is a work of fuch extent and variet)'', that if he had not educated the 

 Conqueror of the world, I am perfuaded he never could have execut- 

 ed it; for it was, as we are told, by the information which Alexander 

 procured him from difterent countries, that he was able to give an ac- 

 count of fo very many different animals; feveral of which, I believe, arc 

 ftill unknown to us, notwlthftanding the opportunity of information 

 we have had by travellers, and by commerce. In this work Ariftotle ha* 

 given us what maybe very properly called a Hiftory of the Animals, 

 of which he treats : For he not only has defcribed their bodies and 

 their animal economy, but he has given us what he calls their manners^ 



that 



