History. 
= rr 
History. 
58 
the philosopher.” But allowing these benefits to be un- 
a and that the study ot acqnmalogy 3} is not 
ductive of any substantial advantages, how absurd 
would it still be to treat such an extensive portion of the 
creation with neglect?) The objection, that they are in 
nowise conducive to our interests (even if founded in 
truth); -svould be no evidence of the fri Beles 
ence, unless we are to conclude, that the uiries 
which merit our rational attention are thoze whi tend 
tification of selfishness. . If this be oe 
to the 
jection, how man écts. of 
vemignne must be rej J a a the 
earliest in which the light of natural know 
dawned, this class of animals obtaitied consid 
attention ; and although the! stidy has not at_all times 
been cultivated with equal ardour, yet we shall here- 
after be.enabled to: prove’ that it has not been utterly 
ected, but has en the study of men endowed 
talents,as splendid, and judgzhentasiabneds 9 lie 
eet of those who affect to treat it with con- 
tempt. 
HISTORY. 
From the earliest penais of which any authentie:re- 
cords remain, this science has’ obtained 2 very consider- 
able portion of attention ; but the total destruction of 
the great public libraries, has deprived us of the means 
of ascertaining 
attained, till within about 2000 years of the present 
time. We shall now endeavour to lay before the read- 
er an gt ye of mae meee and, as eats oj 
subject importance, as far as our limits w 
i mention every work, however slight, which 
roductive of any material information ; at 
vane tebe, we wish it to be understood, that we 
p perpen it necessary, or within our province, 
to enter at large upon a critical analysis of the multi- 
tude of writings before us, but only such as we have 
had an of er ore de- 
— e leading intention eir authors respec- 
tively, which we sal enumerate as nearly as possible 
logical order. 
Sonie books to have been written prior to 
the date of those w have ed to us, as we in- 
prone nt Se career the carlizst of: shione 
works ‘now extant. 
caiemaeae this subject are to be found in 
where mention is made of - 
entitle ie Moses = 
uired a know s science from the 
a korg of re- 
lating to insects ; and amongst the obsolete works of 
Goldmon, he’ ia said: to» have treated “ creeping 
Hip who lived about 500 years before Christ 
(as we are told by! Pliny), wrote on insects. The wri- 
pilpoophegs, quo- 
ea earlier Greek ‘and Latin 
by Pliny, afford extracts of his li 
Atutctle Homgished ta thetuabcomding igi He wrote, 
amongst many other es 2 History of Animals, an 
ebecinry hang ae and comp sive 
view of the anim cinstion f baithhe tanely escends to 
the description of species. It is a work of the greatest 
merit, which no one can impartially peruse without 
confessing the intimate knowledge its writer must have 
possessed of nature. The insect ‘class is treated of in 
one ana de In the seventh chapter of his 
first book, we find the term trrou« is that of a family, 
to what state this branch of science had — 
ENTOMOLOGY. 
which constitutes one of his four orders of animals with 
colourless blood. These animals he terms ersangui- 
neous ; and, in his definitions, he points out, with great * 
accuracy, in what differ from the other three divi- 
sious of this class, viz. Mollusca, Cristacea, and Testacea. 
In the first chapter of the fourth book, we find the. es- 
sential characters more clearly given, inaanely the inci- 
sione on theibatk de belly; or oath, -by which their bo- 
dies appear to be divided into two or more 
another part of his book, more: 
describes. 
ent 
which Append thind that walk. 
he notices those with naked and. 
with a sheath ; sh dep dig 
of 
Goon scientlingseather culture of bees, ey a 
was attended to with the most enthusiastic ardour, 
History; 
Aristotle. 
Aristamachus of Soli is said to have written omthe 4,:amq. 
ees ta wed of fifty 
deserts attending to then 
to-have So Bz 
Philiscus, 
