(ill) 



The Author's PREFACE. 



T O T H E 



SECOND PART. 



LAST year, when I publifhed the Firfl: Part of the Natural 

 Hiftory of Norway *, concerning the climate, the air, and 

 the inanimate and vegetative productions of that country, I 

 purpofed that the Second Part, which treats of Animals, mould, 

 by all means, go along with it : but unforeleen accidents pre- 

 vented my intention : particularly a dreadful fire, which con- 

 fumed a great part of this city, in Auguft, 175 1. My houfe 

 was in imminent danger at the lame time, of being involved in 

 this calamity, with all my manufcripts, &c. but, by the mercy 

 of God, the conflagration did not reach fb far. 



This accident, which might have prevented me from ever 

 compleating this work, has made me lefs fcrupulous in pub- 

 lifliing this and other manufcripts, in collecting and compiling 

 of which I had taken fo much pains ; tho' they might not be 

 fo accurate and correct as I could have wifhed. 



'Tis true, the poet fays, 



— — Nonum premantur in annum. 



But it ieems to me more reafonable that every member of the 

 republick of letters mould contribute, as far as lies in his power, 



* The Author publilhed this work in two volumes Quarto ; the firft was printed 

 in 1752, but the fecond was not committed to the prefs till the year following, for 

 the reafons mentioned in the preface. 



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