REPTILES 



WE are now to confider the clafs of Reptiles^ 

 which are, for the molt part, objedls o/ 

 deteftation ; but however the opinion of the world 

 may be, if a writer undertakes a general hiftory 

 of animals, he muft include them : they form at 

 left one link in the chain of beings, and may 

 therefore be viewed with a degree of pleafure by a 

 philofophic eye. 



But notwithftanding the prejudice againft this 

 clafs is almoil univerfal, is it founded on reafon ? 

 In fome it may be owned that the outward form is 

 difagreeable, while the noxious qualities of others 

 are juftly productive of terror : but are we on that 

 account to rejed them ? The more fatal they 

 are, the more deeply we fliould enquire into their 

 effedls, that we may be capable of relieving thofe 

 who are fufferers, and fecure others from the fame 

 m/isfortune. But if we duly weigh their noxious 

 qualities, we fhall, with our moral poet, find 



" All partial evil univerfal gopd, " 



B 2 The 



