PREFACE. vii 



more worthy of attainment than that of the 

 order and beauty of the Almighty's works, 

 except a knowledge of the Great Creator, 

 and of the relative duties to the performance 

 of which we, his creatures, are bound by so 

 many ties of gratitude and filial love: — if 

 we admit this, it follows that we do not 

 waste our time, when we devote the portion 

 of it which is allotted to relaxation from 

 more severe and necessary employment, to 

 such edifying contemplations, such engag- 

 ing studies, as those suggested by the 

 book of Nature. 



The method which has been adopted, to 

 create a general taste for pursuits, once 

 considered as almost confined to the pro- 

 fessional student or the practical collector, 

 has been the very best which could be 



