LETTER XLVIII. 



HISTORY OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



AFTER the very general idea that I have attempted to 

 embody for you of the System of Insects ; of the groups 

 in which nature has arranged them, and their mutual 

 relations ; it will not be out of place, if I next state to 

 you what has been effected by Entomologists towards 

 reducing them to order: or, in other words, if I give you 

 some account of the various Methods and Systems % be- 

 ginning with the earliest, that have appeared and had 

 their day, which will include a history of the progress of 

 our science from its commencement to its present era. 



In writing the history of any science, two modes pre- 

 sent themselves. We may either give a chronological re- 

 view of all the circumstances and publications connected 

 with it ; or content ourselves with a rapid survey, dwell- 

 ing" only on the principal epochs, and those lights of the 

 science who by their immortal labours gave birth to 

 them. The latter is that on every account best suited 

 to our present purpose, which I shall therefore here 

 adopt. 



There seem to me to be seven principal epochs into 

 which the History of Entomology may be divided : viz. 



a See above, p. 3G4 , 



