INTRODUCTION. 3 
abundance of ideas and relations was trea- 
fured up in my mind — at firft, in a confufed 
manner, I muft ovm ; but gradually with 
more order and method. Nature, therefore, 
Was my earlieft inftrudior, bqcaufe it was 
towards her that my views were firft di- 
reded. 
Soon after, a defire of making acquifitions, 
and a fpirit of imitation, added impetuofity, 
and I may fay impatience, to my amufmg 
piirfuits. Every thing feemed to whifper 
to my felf-Iove that I alfo fhould attempt to 
fonn a cabinet of natural hiftory. Suffer- 
ing myfelf, therefore, to be led away by this 
feducing idea, without lofs of time, I traiter«« 
oufly declared war againft the weakeft ani- 
mals, and began to fearch for caterpillars, 
butterflies, beetles, and in a word forinfeds 
of every kind. 
When people labour for themfeives, they 
may, with confined means, and rude and uu-^ 
cultivated talents, form an indifferent work, 
but in my opinion they v/i!l always fucceed 
well, w^hen they fpare neither time, care, nor 
attention ; and when they employ all their 
talents and abilities. With fuch a difpofition, 
B 2 the 
