II. Sect. I. Of the Members of Infects, II. Of the Internal Farts of Infects, VII. Of the Abuse of Infects in Theology, VIII. Of the Abufe of Infects in Jurifprudence, IX. Of the Abuses made of Infects in Medicine, INTRODUCTION. THERE is nothing in Nature, however abject it may appear, which is not a fubject of wonder to the man who fets himself seriously to confider it. Far from being unworthy of our regard, the study of Nature is not only useful but neceffary to us, fince it furnifhes as many occafions of praifing our Creator, as there are objects to contemplate. But the greater part of mankind, insensible to this reflection; hardly deign to caft their eyes on thofe objects which they have thought proper to denominate vile. Infos they confider as below their notice, or merely as subjects of curiofity, which it would be both useless and troublefome to investigate; and to this contempt, we muft attribute that indifference with which most people are accustomed to examine them. They are viewed without regard, and inconfiderately crufhed to death, when they are found in our way. I could excufe a vulgar mind for ridiculing the Atudy I recommend: but I think myself authorifed to raise my voice against men of learning, who would rank the study of infects in the number of human weakneffes. Is not the fmalleft worm, the work of the Supreme Being, as well as the moft perfect animal? And if God has judged it not below him to create it, why fhould it be thought a weakness in a reasonable man to make it the object of his research? But the vileft infect is a work of omnipotence, worthy of the higheft admiration. It is endowed with fo many perfections, thatthe most powerful monarch, or the most skilful artift, can produce nothing to be compared with it. God alone can work those wonders, and he prefents them to us, not as models for our imitation, but as fo many teftimonies of his power and wisdom. It is our duty therefore to correfpond to his views, and to con template his perfections, even in the smallest of his works. Among all the animals, we alone, are capable of this contemplation. The fun fheds his beams over all the earth; but man alone comprehends their fource and perceives their effects. Beafts live and grow, but they know not how. is unconscious of his ftrength; ingale of the melody of her voice; the butterfly of the beauty of its wing; and the caterpillar gnaws the leaf without knowing what it is that affords it fuftenance. Can we doubt then, that the tribute of admiration which I demand from the faculties of man, is a reasonable tribute, which he owes to his Creator? The Lion the night Man ought not to confine his reflections to infects alone, he is capable of carrying them infinitely farther. I allow it; I even confefs that he would in fome degree debafe his powers were he to limit himfelf to this fingle employment; and were he, for the ftudy of infects, to facrifice the knowledge he may obtain of the ny different animals. fars, of plants and of fo ma My defign is not to be the apologift of those who are mere collectors of the refufe of Nature, if I may ufe the expreffion, and who make cabinets for fhew. There are things more worthy of their attention. But on the other hand, I cannot blame the man of piety, who contemplates the power of his Creator in the fmallest as well as in the greateft of his works. It is true, he cannot become acquainted with the whole. The objects which the heavens, the earth, and the waters prefent to his meditation, are too manifold for him to hope that he can know them all alike. Such an attempt is far beyond the powers of man. Every one ought therefore to chufe, amongst the infinite variety of the works of God, fome particular department as the principal object of his study. Convinced of the juftice of this reflection, I have betaken myself to infects; I have ftudied them with all the application I am mafter of, and I have found them more entitled to admiration, than to contempt. The remarks I have made on the fubject appeared to me of fufficient importance to be laid before the public. They will ferve as a proof, that the majefty of the Creator is manifeft in all his works, and that it fhines confpicuoufly even in the smallest infect. But I am not the firft who have painted them exhibiting visible marks of the omnipotence and infinite wifdom of the Being who prefides over the Universe. "Every fpecies of animals, • (fays |