6^4! 



PRE r A C E, 



AT^ a time, when tke fludy of natural 

 hiftory feems to revive in Europe -, and 

 the pens of feveral illuftrious foreigners have 

 been employedin enumerating theprodudtions 

 of their refped:ive countries, we are unwilling 

 that our own ifland fliould remain infenfible 

 to its particular advantages; we are defirous 

 of diV-efting the aftoniftiment of our country- 

 men at the gifts of nature beftowed on other 

 kingdoms, to a contemplation of thofe with 

 which (at left with equal bounty) fhe has 

 enriched our own. ^ 



A judicious Foreigner has well remarked, 

 that an Englifhman is excufable fhould he be 

 ignorant of the papal hiftory, where it does 

 not relate to Great-Britain -, but inexcufable 

 fhould he neglect inquiries into the origin of 

 parlements, the limitation of the royal pre- 

 rogative, and the gradual deviation from the 

 feodal to the prefent fyftem of government. 



The obfervation is certainly iuft, and the 

 application appears too obvious to be pointed 

 out; yet the generality of mankind can reft 

 contented with ignorance of their native foil, 

 while a paffion for novelty attra(fls them to 

 a fuperficial examination of the wonders of 

 Mexico, or Japan 'j but thefe fhould be told, 

 that fuch a paffion is a fure criterion of a 

 weak judgement: utility, truth and certainty, 



A , fliould 



