OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 57 



of animals, which Providence has endowed with more 

 ample means of avoiding them ; and since they were to 

 be exposed so universally to attack and injury, this is a 

 most merciful provision in their favour; for, were it 

 otherwise, considering the wounds, and dismemberments, 

 and lingering deaths that insects often suffer, what a vast 

 increase would there be of the general sum of pain and 

 misery ! You will now, I think, allow that the most hu- 

 mane person need not hesitate a moment, whether he 

 shall devote himself to the study of Entomology, on ac- 

 count of any cruelty attached to the pursuit. 



But if some morbid sentimentalist should still exclaim, 

 66 Oh ! but I cannot persuade myself even for scientific 

 purposes to inflict the slightest degree of pain upon the 

 most insensible of creatures " Pray, sir or madam, I 

 would ask, should your green-house be infested by 

 Aphides, or your grapery by the semianimate Coccus, 

 would this extreme of tenderness induce you to restrict 

 your gardener from destroying them ? Are you willing 

 to deny yourself these unnecessary gratifications, and to 

 resign your favourite flowers and fruit at the call of your 

 fine feelings ? Or will you give up the shrimps, which 

 by their relish enable you to play a better part with your 

 bread and butter at breakfast, and thus, instead of add- 

 ing to it, contribute to diminish the quantity of food ? If 

 not, I shall only desire you to recollect that, for a mere 

 personal indulgence, you cause the death of an infinitely 

 greater number of animals, than all the entomologists in 

 the world destroy for the promotion of science. 



To these considerations, which I have no doubt you 

 will think conclusive as to the unreasonableness and in- 

 consistency of the objections made against the study of 



