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Natural History, such as it is considered by 

 systematic authors, consists principally in the know- 

 ledge of species. The Botanist becomes acquainted 

 with the different plants, and learns to arrange 

 them by the particular characters which belong to 

 each individual, and by the general relation which 

 they bear to each other. The Ornithologist, the 

 Entomologist, and the Conchologist, by the same 

 means distinguish birds, insects, and shells. To 

 make this knowledge attainable, that is, to enable 

 the Naturalist from certain particular characters to 

 distinguish immediately one subject in nature from 

 another, is the only purpose of system. But in 

 nature there is something more to be discovered, 

 something more to be desired than the knowledge of 

 the mere external form of her productions. We 

 are taught to believe, that nothing has been formed 

 in vain ; it therefore becomes the rational Naturalist, 

 not to confine himself to the exterior only, but to 

 discover, as far as his ability will permit, the respec- 

 tive habits and faculties of the different animals, 

 and their degrees of utility, either with reference to 

 the general theory of nature, or to those particulars 

 in which they may become serviceable to mankind. 

 It must be confessed, that the superficial examina- 

 tion alone of the works of Nature is delightful, 



