SYSTEM OF INSECTS. 365 



ture a , while by System he understands their classifica- 

 tion and arrangement by Naturalists b . But if we con- 

 sider their real meaning, a Method should signify an 

 Artificial, and a System a Natural arrangement of ob- 

 jects c . As many systematists, however, have aimed at 

 giving a natural arrangement, though with various suc- 

 cess, some, as the French school, (to which we are 

 principally indebted for the progress already made,) ap- 

 proximating nearer to the true idea than others, and 

 none having a perfect conception of it, of which probably 

 in our present state, our minds, from its intricacy, are in- 

 capable, it might perhaps be as well to call every ar- 

 rangement whose object is confessedly artificial, a Me- 

 thod ; and that which aims at the plan of nature, a Sy- 

 stem. Under this view system-makers would be divided 

 into two classes, the Methodists and Systematists. 



The system of nature, which we are now to consider, 

 may be viewed under a double aspect ; for with regard 

 to all created objects there is a System of Distribution, 

 and a System of Correlation, which appear to be quite 

 independent of each other. The former will best fall un- 

 der our notice when we are treating of the Geography 

 of insects : I shall therefore now confine myself to the 

 latter. 



When the ALMIGHTY CREATOR willed to bring into 

 existence this mundane system, he formed it according 



a Philos. Botan. 97. n. 153. b Ibid. 98. n. 155, &c. 



c MsQo$o$ is rendered " An artificial and compendious mode of do- 

 ing any thing ; a mode of teaching or learning :" Msdctisvu is " To over- 

 come by artifice." ^vwpoe, applied to music is " A/w//and harmonious 

 assemblage of tones." So that in fact, System should express the ac- 

 tual disposition of objects, or a Natural arrangement; and Method, 

 an Artificial one. 



