SPHINX VESPIFORMIS. 



ON THE PRIMARY DIVISION OF NATURE. 



Any attempt to overthrow existing systems, originally devised 

 and unanimously approved by men of superior talents and great 

 acquirements, should not only be made but received with the 

 greatest possible caution ; but when, as in the arrangement of the 

 objects of natural history, there exists no universally received 

 plan, but each systematist has, for a few months, or at most, years, 

 his little circle of immediate followers and admirers, one thing 

 must be obvious, — that the true system is yet undiscovered ; and, 

 therefore, surely it is competent to every one, however unqualified, 

 to try his hand at the task : that the true system has not been 

 discovered, is admitted by Mr. MacLeay, the only individual who 

 has made any thing like an approach to it ; for, in the preface to 

 the Annulosa Javanica, which appeared subsequently to the Horce 

 Entomolocjicce, in which his circular and quinary system is pro- 

 posed, he acknowledges, that, " as yet, we have not even arrived 

 at the threshold of nature's temple." 



Some individuals would, I believe, argue that no fixed system 

 or plan prevails in nature, but that each individual species exists 

 quite independently of, and unconnected with all the rest ; others, 

 again, allow that there is a system, but without any other division 

 than that of species ; thus theoretically disallovv^ing those plain and 

 universally intelligible groups, which we term beasts, birds, fishes, 

 and insects. It seems to me highly improbable that a Creator, 



