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The Na.tuealist. 



contemporary writer that the " Bees," an imitation of the 4th 

 Georgic of Virgil, was esteemed " a poem of exquisite sweetness." 

 Two years after this (a.d. 1541) we find in volume i. of a book by 

 Erasmus Ebeenerus, a description headed " The Praise of Ants" (i^) 

 The next year, a German of the name of Ruscheyt brought out a 

 volume Q-^) describing the " Grasshoppers seen in Silesia in 1542 " ; 

 two years later, we find a small volume on " Fleas," by Moschetti 

 (1*), and in the year 1546 one Ant. Thylesius brought out a book 

 on " Spiders and Gloworms." (^^) 



Such was the state of Entomological Literature when Oxford 

 University produced a learned student of nature, and more particu- 

 larly of the branch in which we are specially interested — Dr. Moufet 

 or MuFFET. This Dr. Muffet (to quote Anthony Wood in his 



Athense Oxoniensis," was " educated in this University" — i.e., 

 Oxford — " and afterwards travelled into divers countries in Europe, 

 where he became known to the most eminent physicians and chymists 

 of that time, and was doctorated in physic in some noted university 



in his travels He became much honored and beloved by 



Peregrine Bertie, Lord "Willoughbie of Eresbie, and esteemed the 

 famous ornament of the body of physicians, and the true pattern of 

 all polite and solid literature, &c." Such was the man who, far from 

 despising entomology, not only deemed it worthy of his attention, but 

 even made it the favourite study of his life. Dr. Muffet wrote several 

 books, (^^) but his greatest achievement was undoubtedly his 

 " Theatrum Insectorum" This work he probably commenced during 

 his travels on the continent, when at the different universities he 

 would have access to the numerous books he consulted ; and, as 

 Wood says, he became intimate with the most scientific men of his 

 time. I have enumerated above all the notices of insects now 

 generally known to exist in printed books at that period ; but Muffet 

 in his book gives a list of 406 authors whose writings he had con- 

 sulted in compiling his own work. Many of them I find to be 



(12) Encomium Formicaram, A.mpMtlieatr., Dornanii, t. 1, and with "Melanck- 

 tlion " in 4to, Argent,, 1541. 



(13) "Walirliaftige Zeitung in ScUesien geschelien, 1542, von unerhorten Heusch- 

 recken wie viel der gewesen, una was sie gehaden gethan haben, in 4to, 1542. 



(14) De Pulice, in 8vo, 1544. 



(15) De Araneola et cicindela, 8vo, Lutel. 1546. 



(16) De ]vxQ and praestantia Chymicorum medicamentorum dialogues Apologe- 

 ticus Francof. 1584 ; UrseU, 1602. Epistolas quinque medicinales (printed with 

 1602 edition of last work). Nosomantica Hippocratea ; sive, &c., &c., Franc., 

 1598 (in nine books). Health's Improvement : or Rules comprising and dis- 

 covering the nature, method, and manner of preparing all sorts of Food used in the | 

 Nation ; 4to, London, 1655. De Anodmis MecUcamentis Theses in medica, i 

 Basilicus propositae ; Basil, 1578. i 



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