Jtfe. smeathman’s. Account of 
^nd Yubftances- which only incumber the. fur face of the earth, 
they may be jufily fuppojfed very ufeful, and for the. reafpn tha 
they are in one fienfe moil pernicious, they are in the other moft 
i^feful. In this; refpecl they referable very much the common 5 lies* 
which are regarded by mankind in general as. noxious.,. and at 
heft as. ufelefsbeings in the. creation but this, is certainly for 
want of confi deration,, There are not probably in all • nature 
animals of more importance, and it would not be difficult to 
prove, that we Should feel the want of one or two fpeciea 
of Large quadrupeds, much lefs than of one or two- fpecies 
of thefe. dofpicable-lookmg infects. Mankind i% general am 
fenfible that nothing is more difagreeable, or more peffi? 
ferous, than, putrid fuhdances t. and it is apparent to all 
who. have .made obfervatioix,. that thofe little infers ' contrr-. 
feiUte* more W the qqick diflblution and difperfioa oflpu-t | 
trefeent matter than any other. They are. fo. ne.cefiaryvin all 
hot climates,; that' ^ evenf hi' the open' fields a dead animal or 
fmall putrid fubfiance carnagt be laid upon the ground tfttoj mi-: 
nutes before- it will be covered with Flies and their Maggots, 
which injiantiy entering; quickly, devour one part,/ and. pern (•: 
&ratihg thb mft in v^inusi (fcedUons, expofe the wholp to be. 
much foonpr diffipated by the elements. Thus it is with the Ter- 
mites £ thh rapid vegetation ;im hot climates, of which no idea/cara ; 
be this* is equalled* by as great 
a degree of deftruftion from natural aawel'ias accidentdxaufes^i 
It feems apparent, that when my. thing: whatevefiis .arrived: 
at its laffe degree of perfe&ion, the Creator has decreed: k ihalL ! 
(4) The Guinea grafs, which is fo well known and ft> much efteemed by purr 
planters- in the Weft Indies,, grows in Africa thirteen feet high upon an average,. 
which height it attains in about five or fix.months ; and. the growth of; many other 1 
' . r\. r, * .'■ • > |t‘ 
plants :§ as <pu$u 
, be Ij 
B 
