IV PREFACE. 



youthful mind a view of the wonderful works of 

 God, in order to inspire exalted notions of his 

 essence, his attributes, and his agency, in the 

 formation and disposition of the universe. This 

 study is also 'both easy and entertaining, and 

 appears congenial to the nature of man, in every 

 stage of his life. The infant, on his first en- 

 trance into life, is naturally led to employ his 

 opening faculties in observing the exterior ap- 

 pearances of the things which he perceives 

 around him ; and as soon as he has acquired 

 the use of speech, he desires to be informed of 

 their qualities and uses. When grown to matu- 

 rity, he sees himself placed in a boundless am- 

 phitheatre, filled with an immense variety of ob- 

 jects, which solicit his attention ; but, through 

 a want of previous instruction, is often lost and 

 confounded in the magnificence and multipli- 

 city of those scenes which nature presents to his 

 view. 



That some knowledge of the system of nature 

 is necessary to all ranks of people, is a truth that 

 cannot be contested. The gentleman, the trades- 

 man, the farmer, the mechanic, ought to have 

 such a general acquaintance with this science, 

 as may give him an exalted idea of the Creator 

 of the universe, or some general information of 

 those parts' of the animal,, vegetable, and mine- 

 ral kingdoms, which furnish articles of impor- 

 tant utility, in. regard to food and clothing, ma- 

 nufactures and commerce. Without something 



