S ^ PREFACE. 



ventured to treat, T knew that a deliberate perufal of the numerous writers 

 from Ariftotle downwards, would require a confiderable portion of time. But 

 the avocations of bufinefs, and the tranflating of a work fo voluminous as the 

 Natural History of the Count de Bufpon, rendered my progrefs much 

 flower than I wi{hed. I now, however, with much diffidence, fubmit my labours 

 to public opinion. An examination of the Contents, however, will convey a 

 more clear idea of the nature of the work than a multiplicity of words. But I 

 thought it proper to prefix a Ihort account of the circumftances and motives 

 which induced me to engage In an undertaking fo extenfxve, and fo difficult to 

 perform with tolerable fuccefs. 



With regard to the manner of writing, It is perhaps impcffible for a North 

 Briton, in a work of any extent, to avoid what are called Scotticisms. But 

 I have endeavoured to be every where perfpicuous, and to fhun every fentiment 

 or expreffion which might have a tendency to injure fociety, or to hurt the feel- 

 ings of individuals. 



Inhulgent readers, though they muft perceive errors and Imperfe6lions, 

 will naturally n:iake feme allowance for the variety of refearch, and the labour 

 of condenfing fo much matter into fo fmall a compafs. He is a bad author, it 

 has been faid» who affords neither an aphorifm nor a motto. 



I CANNOT refrain from mentioning a circumftance which has often made 

 me uneafy. The expediations of fome friends were higher than I was confcious 

 my abilities could reach. 



UroN the whole, the general defign of this publication is, to convey to the 

 minds of youth, and of fuch as may have paid little attentioi\to the ftudy of Na- 

 ture, a fpecies of knowledge which it is not difficult to acquire. This knowledge 

 will be a perpetual and inexhauflible fource of manly pleafures ; it will afford 

 innocent and virtuous amufijment, and will occupy agreeably the leifurc or va- 

 <;?int hours of life. 



