3 22 INTRO' DUCT I O- N. 
would be extreemly curious to all lovers of natural 
hiftory - 9 and tend to clear up many pafiages in 
thofe authors, who firft opened that branch of 
knowledge, as well as carried feme parts of it 
much farther, than is generally known, or. at lea& 
acknowledged ; and from whofe writings much 
more benefit might Hill be reaped, were they 
better underftood, efpe daily in the medicinal way. 
As the Englifh nation will have the honour of 
firft making known to the world the true and 
accurate proportions of the ancient Greek archi- 
tecture,. fo i hope it is referved for us to bring the 
reft of Europe thoroughly acquainted with the na- 
ture of the foil, climate, produdions, animals* 
&c. of 2L country, whofe ancient glory fo much 
refembles our own,, and in a great meafure has 
been the caufe of it, by, furnifiiing us with the 
beft models of good fenfe, tafte, and juft fentiments 
in every branch of human knowledge. We there- 
fore ought in a particular manner to look upon 
Attica, from whence, as Cicero fays, Iiumanitas % 
- doEirina , fruges , jura, leges ort<e, atque in omnes 
terras difiributa putantur , with the veneration due 
to a mother country. Should lirch a feeme take 
place, i could name a perfon, perfedly well qua- 
lified, by his youth and abilities, and zealoufiy in-» 
clineci upon proper encouragement, to be one or 
the party. France* Sweden*, and Rufiia have 
fet us examples of this kind, and why this great 
and fiourifhing nation ftiould not follow them, i 
cannot fee. We have had our ftiare in advancing 
natural hiftory, it is true, but hitherto without any 
public encouragement. 
-* Amongft many inftances of this fort, there is one that deferve* 
particular notice mentioned Amgen. Academ. p. 445. the author fays* 
that Haffelquift was feat htto iEgypt at the expence of his country- 
men the Eatf Gothlanders, of the heads of the unlverffty, and of the 
Eaft India company, fo r the ftudy of natural hiftory $ and ftaid above 
a year at Cairo* 
