PREFACE. 
vi 
ings in public boarding-schools : the 
senses cannot be too soon habituated 
to the nicer discrimination of objects ; 
and those who have the instruction, 
or, I might say, the formation, and 
even the fashioning of young minds 
most at heart, often find it difficult 
to obtain representations in this most 
pleasing branch of natural history ; 
on the one hand sufficiently accu- 
rate, and, on the other, entirely free 
from those ingenious speculations 
and allusions, which, however suited 
to the physiologist, are dangerous to 
the young and ignorant: for this rea- 
son 1 have taken as little police as pos- 
sible of the system of the immortal 
Li nne us, and of all the illustrations 
and comments on it ; nay, I have not 
preface. vii 
once named the fanciful Doctor Dar- 
win, and, having no desire to extenu- 
ate the merit of any writer, or to su- 
percede the use of his labour, it will 
be pleasure and satisfaction enough 
for me if my own performance shall 
prove such an one as the rising gene- 
ration can consult with safety and 
advantage. 
Another object which, I flatter 
myself, I have in view, without pre- 
sumption, is, that 1 may sometimes 
lay the foundation of a taste for the 
most refined pleasure that the field 
or garden can afford, and, at the 
same time, instil an early conviction 
of the wisdom in which are made the 
manifold works of the Supreme Be- 
