#6 BOOK OF NATURE LAID OPEN. 



the following sentiments of the poet, so feelingly 



expressed : 







" What if the Lion in his rage I meet? 



Oft in the dust I view his printed feet; 



By hunger rous'd, he scours the groaning plain, 



Gaunt Wolves and sullen Tigers in his train ; 



Before them Death with .shrieks directs their way, 



Fills the wild yell, and leads them to their prey." 



CHAP. VI. 



ON THE VARIETIES OF ANIMALS. 



To all has Nature given a bound precise 

 Of being and perfection ; and promulg'd 

 To every varying rank, her varying laws ; 

 Urging to this, from that restraining firm." 



IN the science of natural history, philosophers 

 have found it expedient to arrange objects first un- 

 der a few grand divisions, and then to divide, and 

 afterwards subdivide these in the following manner. 

 The most general divisions are called Classes ; each 

 class is again divided into several lesser parts, which 

 are called Orders; each order contains a certain 

 number of Genera ; each genus consists of several 

 Species; and each species contains certain Varieties, 

 which is the smallest subdivision that they have 

 taken notice of. It is this lowest link of their chain 

 of classification which will form the subject of the 

 present chapter. 



