PREFACE 
A T a time, when the liucly 
of natural hiftory feems to 
revive in Europe, and the 
pens of feveral illuftrious 
foreigners have been employed in enumerat¬ 
ing the productions of their refpe&ive coun¬ 
tries, we are unwilling that our own illand 
Ihould remain mlenfible to its particular ad¬ 
vantages $ we are defirous of diverting the 
aftonilhment of our countrymen at the gifts 
of nature bellowed on other kingdoms, to a 
contemplation of thofe with which (at left) 
with equal bounty Ihe has enriched our own* 
A judicious Foreigner has well remarked, 
that an Englilhman is excufable Ihould he be 
ignorant of the papal hiftory, where it does 
not relate to Great-Britain ; but inexcufable 
Ihould he negleCl inquiries into the origin of 
parlements, the limitation of the royal pre¬ 
rogative, and the gradual deviation from the 
feodal to the prelent lyftem of government. 
i »■» ♦ * 
The obfervation is certainly juft, and the 
application appears too obvious to be pointed 
out y yet the generality of mankind can reft 
contented with ignorance of their native foil, 
while a raffion for novelty attracts them to 
a superficial examination of the wonders of 
Mexicoy or Japan $ but thefe Ihould be told, 
tnat liidi a pallion is a lure criterion of a 
weak judgment : utility, truth and certainty, 
ihould alone be the point at which fcience 
ihould aim; and what knowledge can be 
more ufef'ul than of thofe objects with which 
we are moil intimately connected? and where 
can we reafon with greater certainty than in 
our own country ? where a conftant recourfe 
may be had to every object: but thefe, and 
many other arguments for examining into the 
produilions of our own country, may here be 
waved, as the admirable LINNjSUS has 
dilplayed them at large in an oration * which 
for mafterly reafoning, and happy ingenuity, 
may vie with the bell compofitions. 
Yet, as that Gentleman has, in the fame 
trail, pubhlhed an eulogium on Sweden-, and 
as an incitement to his countrymen to apply 
themfclves to the iludy of nature, enumerated 
the natural productions of that Kingdom; 
we ihall here attempt a parallel, and" point 
out to the Britijh reader, his native riches; 
many of which were probably unknown to 
him, or at the bell ilightly regarded. 
Do the heights of Torfburg, or Swucku af¬ 
ford more inflruilion to the natural® than 
the mountains of Skiddaw or Snowdon? whole 
fides are covered with a rich variety of un¬ 
common vegetables, while their bowels are 
replete with the moll ufeful minerals : The 
Derbyjhtre hills, abounding in all the magni¬ 
ficence of caves and cliffs; the mountains of 
Kerryy 
* Am£en ’ acad * tom * P- 4 09. StiIJingfleet’s Swdijb tra6fc. 
tr. i. 
