436 JUSTORY OF ENTOMOLOGY. 
sects; and in the former of these works has concentrated 
a vast number of interesting observations connected with 
their anatomy and history. No Englishman contributed 
more to the progress of Natural History, both as a writer 
and collector, than that disinterested physician and na- 
turalist Sir Hans Sloane, whose extensive and valuable 
library and well-stored cabinets formed the original nu- 
cleus of the present vast collection of the British Museum. 
Amongst other departments, that of insects was not over- 
looked by him; and it is to be regretted that those which 
he had accumulated have either perished from neglect 
or are not accessible. Other Entomologists were emi- 
nent at this period in Britain. The principal of these 
were Petiver, Dale (to whom Ray bequeathed his collec- 
tion of insects), Bobart, Bradley, and Dandridge; the 
last of whom, as Bradley tells us, delineated and de- 
scribed 140 species of spiders. 
I must not omit here to observe that our Roya So- 
c1ETy, the origin of which took place in this era, com- 
municated a new and powerful impulse to the public mind 
in favour of Physical Science, and greatly accelerated 
the progress of Natural History. It acted not only as 
a centre of excitement which stimulated to exertion, but 
also as a focus to collect the scattered rays of light before 
they were dissipated. Insulated observations in every 
department of nature were thus preserved; and commu- 
nications from the most eminent naturalists in various 
parts of Europe ornamented its Transactions. So that 
from the establishment of this illustrious Society, the 
triumphant march of Physical Science of every kind to- 
wards its acme may be dated. 
4, Era of Linné, or of the Alary System. We are now 
