4 LETTER It. 



the nair.es of the animal, mineral, and vegetable 

 kingdoms : the first Comprehends every thing that 

 has life ; the second all metals, minerals, &e. that 

 are du- out of the eurth ; and the third all the diflo- 

 rent kinds .of trees, plants, herbs, fruits, flowers, &c. 

 that grow upon its surface. It is not my intention 

 to trouble you with scientific terms which are at 

 present too abstruse for your comprehension ; on the 

 contrary, I wish to address you in the plainest lan- 

 guage ; but it was necessary to give you a notion 

 of those three grand departments or divisions of na- 

 ture, which ate frequently mentioned in books and 

 conversation. 



Before we proceed to a delineation of the different 

 objects which the study of natural history presents 

 to our view, a consideration of the greatest impor- 

 tajice forces itself upon the thinking mind, which is, 

 that in examining the works of the creation, we must 

 begin by raising our thoughts to the great Creator. 

 Religion is a necessary companion to the study of na- 

 tural history ; and we shall make a wrong beginning 

 if we do not commence our survey of nature with the 

 contemplation of the infi lite perfections of the God 

 of nature, whose power, wisdom and goodness are so 

 eminently displayed in all his works. 



We see ourselves placed in a world, abounding 

 with an infinite variety of objects calculated for our 

 use, our convenience, and amusement ; and we find 

 ourselves endowed with understanding to convert 

 them to those uses, for which infinite wisdom has evi- 

 dently designed them. This circumstance, among a 

 multitude of others, is a convincing proof that this 

 world in which we live cannot be the effect of chance, 

 1;'U is the work of * being infinitely powerful, wise, 

 avid good, who is every where present, and governs 

 all things by his Providence, as he created them by 

 his power. This great, universal, and eternal Being, 

 who continues from everlasting to everlasting without 

 change, and who is present in every place although 

 invisible to us, is the God who created heaven and 



