EXORDIUM. 237 



state in which I drew it, the correctness of my execution 

 will be recognised. 



The specimens which I have selected are those which 

 experience has shewn to excite the strongest emotions of 

 pleasure and satisfaction in the great mass of observers 

 of all ranks; whom I have always found to be most 

 delighted by comparatively large living objects, seen with 

 medium powers. In fact, they seem to afford the same 

 sort of gratification with a menagerie of living wild 

 beasts on the large scale ; and most certainly many of 

 them wonderfully emulate the ferocity, voracity, cunning, 

 and cruelty of the mammalia. They prey on each other, 

 and fight with a degree of determined obstinacy not 

 inferior to that of any beings whatever. They have like- 

 wise a thousand diverting pranks and humours, quite 

 peculiar to themselves. In addition to these amiable and 

 amusing qualities, they possess such a high degree of 

 transparency, that their unique and beautiful internal 

 machinery is as clearly perceptible as if they were made 

 of glass -, so that, without any dissection, we can unravel 

 all the mysterious workings of their nature ; such as the 

 circulation of the blood, the pulsations of the heart, the 

 peristaltic motion of the intestines, and the play of every 

 muscular fibre. This property of transparency is not 

 possessed by any other living beings with which I am 

 acquainted, except the animalcula infusoria. I may 

 observe, that no perfect insects present so many facilities 

 for adaptation to the microscope, or can be so easily 

 preserved and managed ; so that the larvae, &c. appear 



