414 SYSTEM OF INSECTS. 



which the various objects of nature bear to each other. 

 This, however, though of a lower rank, is essentially 

 connected with the other, and leads to it ; for it esta- 

 blishes the principle, that created things are representa- 

 tive or symbolical : and we find, when we view them in 

 this light, that as we ascend from the lowest beings in 

 the scale of creation, we* are led from one to another till 

 we reach the summit or centre of the whole, and are 

 thus conducted to the boundaries of this visible and ma- 

 terial system ; from whence we may conclude that we 

 ought not here to stop, but go on to something invisible 

 and extra-mundane, as the ultimate object intended to be 

 reflected from this great speculum of creation the CRE- 

 ATOR himself, and all those spirits, virtues, and powers 

 that have emanated from him. 



The analogies which the various objects of the ani- 

 mal kingdom mutually exhibit, have for the most part 

 been either overlooked by modern Physiologists, or have 

 been mistaken for characters that indicate affinity; a cir- 

 cumstance that has often perplexed or disrupted their 

 systems. Dr. Virey appears to have been one of the 

 first who obtained a general idea of the parallelism of 

 animals in this respect a ; and M. Savigny has contrasted 

 the Mandibulata and Haustellata of the insect tribes as 

 presenting analogies to each other b . But a countryman 

 of our own (often mentioned with honour in the course 

 of our correspondence), peculiarly gifted by nature, and 

 qualified by education and his line of study for such 

 speculations, and possessing moreover the invaluable op- 



* N. Diet. dHist. Nat. xx. 484. comp. ii. 30. 

 b Mem. sur les Anim, sans Vertebr. I. i. 20 . 



