P R E F A C E. 
Ill 
fefled of what they dciired ; did therefore exhort me to publifh it fepa- 
rately, and gave me good affurance that the expences of publifhing 
would be recompenced by the fale of the work. 
By way of additional illuftration, I diligently fought the works of 
Lister and Albin, who had both written on the fame fubje6l before me; 
but the work of Lister was unfortunately loft in its paflage, and that of 
Albin I have never feen to this hour. At length, however, I obtained, 
from the Royal Library, the work of Lister ; and found, to my great 
pleafure, that the fame order was preferved in that work, which I had 
planned in mine. 
I MUCH wondered that Lister, who had examined fo many places in 
Great-Britain, fhould not have difcovered more than fomewhat upwards 
of thirty fpecies of Spiders ; when in the neighbourhood of Stockholm 
alone, I have found more than ftxty. 
I imagine it will not be unacceptable, if I make fome extrafts from 
the above work of Lister, which is become fo fcarce as to be very fel- 
dom feen ; and much lefs eafily obtained. Belides, when feveral authors 
unite their teftimony on a fubje6f, the truth is more confirmed. I alfo 
fuppofe I can incur no blame, in omitting fome particulars related by 
Lister ; my intention being in this work, to relate my own obfervations, 
and not thofe of others. 
In order, however, to prevent much trouble in endeavouring to ob- 
tain Lister's very rare woxk out of libraries, I fliall, for the benefit of my 
