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whole of them know without having experienced it, that they cannot fupport the rigour of winter without making the requifite preparations for putting themfelves in fecurity from the cold? In the school of what fportfman have they been trained to feize their prey with fo much addrefs? Who hath made them fo cunning in the art of laying fnares for their enemies? What mafter have fome had to teach them to fpin threads finer or coarfer according to their neceflities? Who hath furnished their bodies with the matter these threads are compofed of? Who hath difcovered to them that they are provided with a fubftance proper to be employed for this ufe? What weaver hath taught them to form with it a web fo exquifite? Whence comes the vast variety there is between the webs of the different fpecies? What dyer hath taught them to give their threads fometimes one colour and fometimes another? Of what profound politician have thofe been taught who live in Society? What Lawgiver hath formed their conftitution? What General hath taught them. the art of war? But I am tired with afking fo many questions; queftions which cannot be answered but by admitting the operation of a being all powerful and infinitely wife and good, who hath given infects the neceffary powers aud faculties for performing thofe functions which make the object of our admiration.

Let us now make it our duty to admit a truth founded on fuch ftreng and convincing proofs, and let us fay with the wife man, "The Lord by his "wifdom hath founded the earth, by underftanding he "hath established the Heavens, and by his knowledge "the depths are broken up." PROV. iii. 19. 20. May we not fay without exaggeration, that God hath acted with regard to infects as he formerly did to Bezaleel. He hath filled them with the fpirit of God,

"in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and

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all manner of workmanfhip, to devife cunning "works and in cutting of ftones, and in carving of "timber to work in all manner of workmanship.' EXOD. xxxi. 3-5. As it was he who enriched that fkilful artificer with fuch excellent and various talents we cannot doubt but it is alfo he who hath giv en fimilar talents to iniects. He who gave to "So"lomon wisdom and understanding and largenefs of

heart, even as the fand that is on the tea fhore, "and excelling the wisdom of all the children of the "eaft, and all the wifdom of Egypt, and that of all

the wife men of his time," KINGS iv. 29. 31, haş given to infects that fagacity, forefight and industry, which we have obferved in their economy. Every perfect gift originates from the fame caufe, and defcends from the father of lights.

Infects, though unendowed with reafon exhibit the strongest proofs of a particular wifdom; while men often tranfgrefs its rules, and difobey the laws it prefcribes to them. How difgraceful to human nature is this humiliating parallel? Shall despicable animals conduct themselves with more prudence than intelligent beings; fhall they confult their instinct and never wander from its dictates: and shall man, proud of the faculty which diftinguishes him from the brutes, fhall he not deign to confult his reafon? what culpable, infenfate conduct! But this is not all the young of infects are guided by a natural movement, and without any other education, to pursue the conduct of their parents: but it is quite otherwife with children; the faculties of their mind must be cultivated by a good education, the reafon which God hath given them is a rough diamond, which their parents are obliged to polifh, and to fet, if they would answer the purposes of their creation. But is this done by the generality of man

kind? It is but too common with many to abandon their children to their own wills and totally to neglect their education. Can we then be otherwife than furprised to fee fo many intelligent creatures conducting themfelves with lefs reafon than brutes? What are we to infer from these reflections? Is it not that as infects answer exactly the purpose of their creation by making the proper use of their faculties, men ought alfo to fecond the views of the fupreme Being by employing their reafon to the advancement of his glory, and to that of their own felicity? They ought to cultivate with care the inestimable gift of reafon, and endeavour earneftly to make their children follow their example.

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INSECTO-THEOLOGY.

BOOK II.

CHAP. I.

OF THE SENSES OF INSECTS.

THE fenfes are indifpenfably neceffary to all animals. How could they efcape danger if they did not fee? How difcern the food that is agreeable to them if they had not the faculties of tafte and fmell? How avoid their enemy if they did not hear, by the noise he makes, on what fide he approaches them? If deprived of touch, how could they diftinguifh pleasure from pain? How know health from difeafe?

When I say that the fenfes are indifpenfably neceffary to animals, I do not mean that they must poffefs the whole which we enjoy. It is fufficient that the Creator has bestowed on them as many as are neceffary for their preservation in their refpective fi

tuations

tuations. This is the cafe with infects; they have not always five fenfes like man. Some are deprived of fight, fome of fmell, others of hearing; but never except when the manner of life they lead renders thefe unneceffary or useless.

Feeling or touch is common to all animals as Pliny obferves. The fenfe depends on the motion of the nervous fluid communicated to the brain, and affecting the foul. This motion is excited under the skin by the impulse of fome external body; it communicates itself to the nerves, is by them inftantanebufly carried to the brain, and there caufes a fenfa tion of pleasure or of pain. The nerves which have all an immediate connection with the head, are affected in the fame manner as a cord well stretched : the smallest motion made in it is communicated at once to the two extremities. It is remarkable of this fenfe that it refides in all parts of the body whereas the others have each a particular organ feated in the head. By this means animals are informed of all the derangements, exterior as well as interior, which can happen to them.

What I have faid. in the laft Chapter, evidently fhews that infects are endowed with the fenfe of touch. It must have been remarked how careful they are to fecure themselves agaift wind, rain, heat, cold &c. which certainly they would not do were they deprived of this fenfe. The delieacy of the organs of touch, is not the fame in all. There are fome which are fenfible to the fmalleft impreffion, while others do not seem to feel even a pretty smart stroke, as if endowed with an almoft ftoical infenfibility. There is reafon to believe that fome infects are to be found, deftitute of all other fenfes but that of feeling.

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