I 



EXTRACT 



FROM THE PREFACE TO THE ORIGINAL WORK 



ABOUT fifteen years ago, in a conversation with the late woi 

 thy, respectable, and ingenious Lord Kames, upon the too gen- 

 eral neglect of natural knowledge, his Lordship suggested the 

 idea of composing a book on the PHILOSOPHY OF NATURAL HIS- 

 TORY. In a work of this kind, he proposed that the productions 

 of Nature, which to us are almost infinite, should, instead of being 

 treated of individually, be arranged under general heads ; that, 

 in each of these divisions, the known facts, as well as reasonings, 

 should be collected and methodized in the form of regular dis- 

 courses; that as few technical terms as possible should be em- 

 ployed; and that all the useful and amusing views arising from 

 the different subjects should be exhibited in such a manner as to 

 convey both pleasure and information. 



This task his Lordship was pleased to think me not altogether 

 unqualified to attempt. The idea struck me. I thought that 

 a work of this kind, if executed even with moderate abilities, 

 might excite a taste for examining the various objects which 

 every where solicit our attention. A habit of observation refines 

 our feelings. It is a source of interesting amusement, prevents 

 idle or vicious propensities, and exalts the mind to a love of vir- 

 tue and of rational entertainment I likewise reflected, that men 

 of learning often betray an ignorance on the most common sub- 

 jects of Natural History, which it is painful to remark 



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