3l8 or INSECTS IN GENERAL, 



Sect. II. — 'I'he Literary Hijlory of Entymoiogy > 



J HE dafs of infefts, although by far the moft numerous 

 in the animal kingdom, the moft remarkable for its ef- 

 fefts on the objefts of human induftry, and perhaps the 

 moft important in the economy of nature, was long be- 

 fore it attradted any confide rable degree of attention from 

 men of learning. Hardly any attention was beftow- 

 ed on entymology by any of the writers of antiquity. 

 Arijlothy that father of naturalifts, has allotted but a 

 fmall portion of his works to the hiftory of infedls ; nor 

 does it appear that he has been always fufticiently atten- 

 tive to the authorities upon which he inferts the different 

 fadls he relates, or to the order in which they are ar- 

 ranged. It is known, that Alexander his pupil furnifh- 

 ed him with confiderable fums to be employed in the va- 

 rious refearches neceflary for the compilation of his hif- 

 tory of animals j and it is not improbable, that many 

 perfons were engaged in different parts to procure him 

 the different fpecies, and to furnifli him with fuch obfer- 

 vations on their hiftory as fell not within the reach of 

 his own knowledge. From feveral of the fafts which he 

 has related, we are led to fufpeft, that thefc men were 

 not altogether qualified for the talk in which they were 

 employed. The arrangement followed by the Greciat^ 

 naturalift feems as defedive as the authorities upon which 



his 



