jcii PREFACE, 
of one thing, viz. that if we ftudy and 
follow nature, whatever paths we are led 
into, we fhall at laft arrive at fomething 
valuable to ourfelves and others, but of 
what kind we mu ft be content to remain 
ignorant. 
I am fenfible that after all i have faid, or 
can fay, many people will not be perfuaded 
to allow that the ftudy of fome parts of na- 
tural hiftory can be worthy of a rational 
creature. They will never vouchfafe to 
look on modes and infedts in this light. 
Yet why may not the ftudy of thefe like- 
wife have its ufe in future times ? It ought 
to be confidered that the number of the 
latter is immenfe, that it is but lately that 
any great attention has been paid to them, 
that one of them is and has been long the 
means of cloathing thoufands and feeding 
more, that another affords us honey, ano- 
ther a fine dye, not to mention fome few 
befides, of acknowledged benefit to man- 
kind. Laftly, that they are capable of 
doing us the greateft mifchief, and that it 
is poffible that a more thorough knowledge 
of 
