30§ OF INSECTS IN GENERAL. 
Natural hiflory claims it as its prerogative to cletrnn- 
ftrate the exiftcnce and the perfections of that Creative 
Power which produced, and which governs the univerfe: 
It is the hiftory of the works of God, and naturally leads 
every intelligent mind to their Author ; for there are no 
proofs of his exigence more level to the apprehenfion of 
all, than thofe which it offers to the underftanding. No 
rational man can ever blulli for having placed among his 
occupations a ftudy which has for its objedt the works of 
the Supreme Being which leads him to the contemplation 
of their author. All thofe naturalifts who have de- 
feribed the different parts of the animal kingdom, have 
willingly confeffed them to be productions of infinite 
power and wifdom ; and feem to regret, that the experi- 
ments and obfervations relating to their hiflory are not 
more numerous ; becaufe, in proportion as they are ex- 
tended, the proofs of a Creative Power arc multiplied. 
The manner, however, in which entymology has too 
frequently been Audit'd, and the extremes into which 
men, according to their different capacities and tafles, 
have fallen, have brought that obloquy andderilion againfl 
the fcience, which a proper degree of difeernment would 
have diredted againft the foibles of tliofe who lludied it. 
While the fyffems of foine naturalifts contain only a dry- 
repetition of ftiades, colours, and fhapes of different in- 
fers, without entering into the more interfiling and ani- 
mated defeription of their manners, thofe of others, as 
injudicioufly, aferibe to them fundlions, and a degree of 
intelligence of which they are incapable. By the former, 
the imagination is fatigued and difgufted with a conftaut 
repetition of the fame images : By the romantic air of 
the latter, the mind is led into diftruft with regard to the 
truth of the whole narrative, and to doubt of thofe fadls 
Which 
