84 BOOK OP NATURE LAIS OPEN. 



order of the creatures of the Almighty, as affording 

 evidences of imperfection, let us rather, from similar 

 considerations, adopt the words of the more judi- 

 cious Swammerdam ; t( After an attentive examina- 

 tion," says he, a of the nature and anatomy of the 

 smallest as well as the largest animals, I cannot help 

 allowing the least an equal, or perhaps a superior 

 degree of dignity. If, while we dissect with care 

 the largest Miimals, we are filled with wonder at the 

 elegant disposition of their parts, to what a height is 

 our astonishment raised, when we discover all these 

 parts arranged in the least in the same regular man- 

 ner" And sum up the dispute in the words of ano- 

 ther naturalist : " Of this dispute it is only neces- 

 sary to observe, that the wisdom of the Creator is 

 so conspicuous in all his works, and such surpris- 

 ing art is discovered in the mechanism of the body 

 of every creature, that it is very difficult, if not im- 

 possible, to say where it is most, and where it is 

 least to be observed." 



It is impossible, in the compass of this book, to do 

 any thing like justice to a subject which can never 

 be sufficiently investigated. We will, however, con- 

 sistent with our general plan, notice a few facts and 

 striking peculiarities in this mysterious and numer- 

 ous order of beings, by which it is most distinguish- 

 ed from the others, and in which it will be suffi- 

 ciently evident that insects are also the children of 

 the same common parent, whose wisdom and good- 

 ness are so conspicuous in his other works: 



