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LETTER LXL 



<t .. Each crawling insert holds a ra.k 



Important in the plan of Him who fram'd . 

 This scale of beings; holds a rank, which lost 

 Would break the chain, and leave a gap, 

 That Nature's self would rue." 



PEAR SIR, 



1>Y a gradual progress in our survey of animafrct 

 nature, we are at las.t come to a part which can never. 

 bt 1 fully investigated. The different species of insects 

 are too numerous, and many of them too much con- 

 cealed from our view, to* permit us to be acquainted 

 with their history. The larger and more conspicuous 

 objects of creation whether animate or inanimate., ad- 

 mit of obvious distinctions; but when we descend to 

 the inferior classes and more minute parts of the ani- 

 mal and vegetable kingdoms, the variety multiplies so 

 fast as to preclude aU possibility of describing in de-, 

 tail. 



BufTon divides the whole tribe of insects into four 

 classes, and ' Linnieus into seven, of which, as I know 

 the value of your time and the importance of your 

 studies, I shall not trouble you with the enumeration. 

 I shall therefore only mention two or three specie.-*, 

 winch are particularly interesting to man,, on account 

 o-f the incouveniencies or benefits of which they art; 

 productive, or from being frequently alluded to by 

 -ancient writers. 



THE SCORPION 



ii an insect of this description, and is frequently men- 

 tioned in the scripture but scarcely ever without he- 

 iiiir associated with misrepresentations of malevolence 

 and mischief. Among all the insect tribe, the scor- 

 pion, indeed, is the most terrible: its figure is hide- 

 ous, and its sting generally fatal. This creature* 

 which, of all the insects without wings, is the largest 

 n.n well as the most formidable, somewhat resembles u 

 lobster in shape, although beyond, comparison more- 



