II.CTUREI. S 



i.l phrases seemeth insipid and j- June; for 

 words lii-iii*; hut the images of things, to be given 

 up wholly to their >tudy, what is it but to verify 

 the folly of Pygmalion, to fall in love with a 

 statue, and neglect the reality! The treasures 

 of Nature are inexhaustible : there is enough tor 

 the most indefatigable industry, the happn-t op- 

 portunities, the most prolix and undisturbed \;i- 

 cancies." 



Such appears to have been the opinion of Mr. 

 Ray. 



I shall next observe that the celebrated poet 

 Gray was in a peculiar manner devoted to the 

 study of Natural History ; as appears from the 

 testimony of his friend Mr. Mason, who assures 

 us that Gray frequently felicitated himself on 

 having been early introduced to so delightful a, 

 science, and which improved in so remarkable u 

 manner the general tenor of his health and spirits. 

 I might also here mention, as a circumstance not 

 generally known, that Gray translated the Lin- 

 iiiran Genera or Characters of Insects into elegant 

 Latin hexameters, some specimens of which have 

 been preserved by his friends, though they were 

 never intended for publication. 



