PREFACE. Xlll 



The delight which I found in reading Pliny, 

 first inspired me with the idea of a work of this 

 nature. Having a taste rather classical than 

 scientific, and having but little employed myself 

 in turning over the dry labours of modern sys- 

 tem makers, my earliest intention was to translate 

 this agreeable writer, and by the help of a com- 

 mentary to make my work as amusing as I could. 

 Let us dignify natural history ever so much with 

 the grave appellation of an useful science, yet 

 still we must confess that it is the occupation of 

 the idle and the speculative, more than of the 

 busy and the ambitious part of mankind. My 

 intention, therefore, was to treat what I then con- 

 ceived to be an idle subject, in an idle manner ; 

 and not to hedge round plain and simple narra- 

 tives with hard words, accumulated distinctions, 

 ostentatious learning, and disquisitions that pro- 

 duced no conviction. Upon the appearance, 

 however, of M. Buffon's work, I dropped my for- 

 mer plan, and adopted the present, being con- 

 vinced by his manner, that the best imitation of 

 the ancients was, to write from our own feelings, 

 and to imitate nature. 



It will be my chief pride, therefore, if this 

 work may be found an innocent amusement for 

 those who have nothing else to employ them, or 

 who require a relaxation from labour. Profess- 

 ed naturalists will, no doubt, find it superficial ; 

 and yet I should hope that even these will disco- 

 ver hints and remarks, gleaned from various read- 

 ing, not wholly trite or elementary. I would 

 wish for their approbation : But my chief ambi- 



