PREFACE. x1 
spent in constant scientific study, there was no haste to rush 
into print, for as he himself says, ‘‘ What is done prematurely 
has most commonly to be done twice ;" and it was not until the 
year 1831 that his first paper was published. This appeared in 
the ‘ Magazine of Natural History,’ then edited by J. C. Loudon, 
and was entitled—-‘‘ Polyommatus Argiolus, Meliteea Euphrosyne 
and Selene.” His attention at this time and for some few years 
later—until 1837—was principally devoted to Entomology ; 
indeed, with the exception of the few short letters of Rusticus, 
in the ‘Magazine of Natural History’ (1882 and 1888), on 
birds, the whole of his published writings up to 1888 are upon 
entomological subjects. It was in 1832, however, that he was 
fairly broken to literary harness. In that year the ‘ Entomological 
Magazine’ commenced its career of usefulness: it emanated 
from the Entomological Club,—a small body of gentlemen, who 
; met socially at each other's houses on one evening in every 
: month. This, the oldest entomological society in the country, 
was instituted in 1826 by Mr. Samouelle, author of the 
‘Entomologist's Compendium ;’ and he and Messrs. Davis, 
Hanson, and Newman, were the original members. At this 
time (1832) the Club consisted of the Rey. C. 8. Bird, Messrs. W. 
Bennett, J. S. Bowerbank, William Christy, jun., John Curtis, 
A. H. Davis, E. Doubleday, S. Hanson, J. Hoyer, E. Newman, 
F. Walker, and J. J. Walton. Of these fathers in Ento- 
mology all but two have passed away. It was not surprising 
that such men should feel the need of a journal devoted to 
their science. The “Introductory Address” is of consider- 
able interest, and sets forth that the projectors anticipate no 
profit, but have undertaken the work “with a disinterested 
desire to promote the progress of a science to which they 
confess themselves zealously attached.” Mr. Newman was 
chosen Editor, and threw himself heartily into the work. 
In the first volume, out of sixty-three articles fifteen are 
from his pen,—many written under pseudonyms,—in addition 
to elaborate editorial notices of new books. Amongst his 
writings in this volume attention may be called to the 
beautiful lines “On the Death of Latreille” (p. 820), as well 
as to the “Entomological Sapphics” (p. 482), professing 
to be translations from the Persian, Arabic and Greek, but in 
