NATURAL HISTORY. 
I7S 
texture. But fometimes it muft be allowed, 
that the Almighty puniflies the ingratitude 
of man, by fending holls of flies, locufls, 
and caterpillars, in array againll him. This 
flionld teach us not to defpife even a worm, 
which has been fo frequently rendered one of 
our moft powerful and dreadful enemies. 
Let us not think ourfelves rich, great or in- 
dependent, while the Almighty can punirti 
our prefumption withfo inconfiderable an in- 
ftrnment. 
Tombs — The caterpillar, fatiatcd with 
verdure, retires voluntarily from life, and 
feeks the grave. Previous to tlieir retreat, 
they change their Ikins, ceafe to feed, while 
they build themfelves a tomb, or lepulchre. 
A few days conduct fome of them into a new 
ftate, of fuperior exiftence. Inftead of crawl- 
ing the earth, they wing the air. The in- 
termediate ftate between the worm and the 
fly, and which is fo ftriking a pidlure of dif- 
folution, . is called the cryfallis ftate. "What 
appears the tomb of the worm, is the embryo 
of the butterfly ; which, here acquiring a 
perfeift form, burft the barriers of the grave,, 
and fjieeds its flight into another world of 
enjoyment. What a contrail; of being is 
there between its laft and former ftate ! The 
caterpillar is terreftrial, and crawls heavily 
along the ground. The butterfly is agility 
itlelf, and leems almoft to dildain repoling on 
the earth, from whence it derived its being.. 
The firft is lhaggy and of hideous afpeft ; the- 
latter 
