14 ON THE STUDY OF 



supreme Being to whom we owe unbounded 

 love, veneration, and obedience. Instructive 

 as it affords us lessons, the most impressive, of 

 wisdom, benevolence, and good-will towards 

 mankind, well deserving of our imitation. And 

 useful since its application is referable to all 

 the wants of our species, artificial or natural, as 

 well as to those acquirements and improvements 

 which, calling forth the intellectual powers of 

 man, place him where he was intended to be 

 placed, at the head of the creation. 



Practically considered the husbandman would 

 very unprofitably pursue his occupation, were he 

 ignorant of the different soils which it is his inte- 

 rest to cultivate, of the various articles necessary 

 to render it more productive, of the seasons most 

 suitable to put in his seeds, of the relative differ- 

 ence in the vegetable substances thereby to be 

 produced, or of the distinctive character of the 

 various animals which are to constitute his herds 

 and flocks. In a like manner, the success of the 

 gardener depends on his intimate knowledge of 

 the vegetables, fruits, trees, and flowers in their 

 minutest economy, from which alone he can obtain 

 a livelihood. And even the peasant must know 

 something of natural history to enable him to 

 manage his small property, to produce the vege- 

 tables, fruit, and honey, which are so essentially 

 necessary to contribute to the support of his 

 family. 



