OF INSECTS IN GENERATE 
3^9 
of nature, are abfolutely neceffary to life. Many of 
them, like the nobler animals, are furniihed with lungs, 
and an heart ; yet the caterpillar lives, though its heart 
and lungs, as is often the, cafe, are entirely eaten away. 
In fome, the ftomach perilhes altogether, and is again re- 
newed ; others, after being cut into feveral pieces, not 
only continue in life, but are formed into as many new 
diftinft animals as there were fegments of the old ! As 
in mechanics, the molt complicated machines are requir- 
ed to perform the niceft operations, fo, in anatomy, the 
noblelt animals are rnoft varioufly and wonderfully 
made *. Of all living beings, man offers the moll won* 
derful variety in his internal conformation ; quadrupeds 
come next ; and after them the other animals follow, in 
proportion to their powers and excellencies ; while in- 
fects feem to fill up the laft and loweft rank of animated 
nature ; fome of them being fo imperfectly organized, 
that they have long remained in the fyftems of naturalifts 
confounded with the vegetable tribes. 
The amazing number of infedts is another argument 
of their imperfe&ion. It is a rule which obtains among 
the offspring of nature, that the nobler animals are fiow- 
ly produced, and that, in forming thefe, flic a£ts with a 
dignified economy ; while, in her meaner births, fue is 
often lavilh to profufion ; and thoufands of the more ig- 
noble kinds are produced merely to fupply the neceffities 
of the more favoured and delicately organized parts of 
her creatures. Of all the other productions of nature, 
we have feen that infe&s are the molt numerous : that, 
however minute when taken individually, when taken 
together they are probably more bulky than all the reft 
Vol. III. T t of 
