OF CURIOSITY. 
199 
the world, that man fhould every where be- 
hold the miraculous work of his hands, and 
that the earth fhould afford an endlefs variety, 
feemingly with intent that the novelty of the 
objedts fhould excite his curiofity, and hinder 
him from being difgufted by too much uni- 
formity, as it has happened to fome wretches, 
whofe flatlon in life placed them above labor, 
and who wanted curiofity to look into thefe 
things. Some objects were made to pleafe the 
fmell, the tafle, the fight, the hearing, or other 
fenfes, fo that nothing can be faid to be with- 
out its ufe. That branch of knowledge which 
ferves to dilcover the charadters of natural 
things and teaches us to call them by their 
names, feems perhaps by no means neceffary. 
But let it be confidered that the firft degree 
of wifdom is to know things when we fee 
them, L e. to know them by their names ; and 
without this knowledge fcarce any progrefs 
can be made. To know the letters of the 
alphabet, to joyn them into fyllables, to un- 
derftand words is not folid erudition ; yet it 
is abfolutely neceffary for him, who would 
become learned. Thus the charadters, and 
names of things muft be thoroughly learned 
in order to obtain any ufe from natural hiflory. 
O 4 We 
