ice PUR? BOF ACE @.. 
chablifh the Charaéter of the thing deferibed, fo as plainly to diftinguifh it from all other 
rhings 3 This may be done without following the minute Steps of fome Authors, who have 
wrote large Books on fingle Birds or Plants, for long Defcriptions lead the Mind into Mazes 
and Confufion, and tire rather than infiruét. On the other band too brief Defcriptions 
foould be avoided; for very often thefe are found to confift only of Such general Forms and 
Colourings that are common to many things of the fame Genus, with the thing fo briefly de- 
Seribed, which makes the Defcription uncertain, or rather no natural Defcription at all. 
If Naturalis would obferve this medium, and ftudy a plain comprehenfive Language, and 
well expreffing the things treated of, they might gradually, by making the Study both ufeful 
and pleafant, bring many into the love of Natural Hiftory, who now defpife it. — 
L know there are fome Gentlemen, that put the Terms of mean and little upon fuck 
Sciences or Studies that they themfelves baveno Tafte for; and others would make then 
ufelefs by calling them mere Speculations. Natural Hiftory bas been particularly afperfed — 
and treated in this manner by the Enemies to all Knowledge, but fuch as brings with it 
immediate Profit or fenfiual Pleafure: But if thefe Gentlemen will look back @ little, 
| they will find that Men as great, as wife and magnanimous at leaft as themfelves, in 
all Ages, have bufied themfelves in the Difcovertes and Knowledge of Nature. King 
Solomon zs a great Example in this matter, who was himfelf a natural Hiftorian, and 
perhaps bad penetrated farther into Nature than any one bas done Jjimce. Alexander 
the Great was remarkable for encouraging all the fine Arts, as well natural Hiftory as 
other Literature, without which bis Memory could not have fubjifted till this Time. But 
to come nearer our own Times, Lewis X1V. of France, tho’ one of the greateft Princes 
of the Age he lived in, and engaged in feveral Wars jor a confiderable Part of bis Life, 
yet found Time to improve his Mind by the Study of the fine Arts, and efiablifhed an 
Academy for the farther Improvement of Arts and new Difcoveries in Nature: He 
qwas fuch a Lover of the Productions of Nature, that he made Gardens and built magni-~ 
ficent Stoves, Sc. for the raifing and reception of all Exotick Plants, and built at Ver- 
failles near bis Palace, an elegant and curius Place called the Managery, with large 
Apartments and Conveniences for the Reception of living Animals from all Parts of 
the World, and not only rare Pigtures and Sculptures of the greateft Mafiers were col- 
leéted 
