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“Preface,” American Entomology, or Descriptions of the Insects of North America (1824–28)

from Part One - 1800–1846 Naturals and Naturalists

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

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Summary

The present number is intended as the integral portion of a publication of no inconsiderable magnitude on the insects of North America.

But little, I might almost say nothing, has yet been done in the United States, in relation to the very interesting and important science upon which this work is intended to treat; while, in other departments of natural history, we have publications honourable to the republic, there is not, as far as I know, in the archives of American science, the record of an indigenous work on this subject.

In Europe, a celebrated writer informs us, the insects, so numerous, so diversified in their characters, in their colouring so elegant and varied, and so singular in their manner, have so much interest under these different relations, that of all the animals, they have been the most observed, the most studied, and are those upon which the labours of naturalists have been the most exercised. But in the United States, entomology, of all the sciences, has been regarded with the least attention by the learned. The attractive charms of natural history have, indeed, with us, allured many votaries; but these, in general, choose those departments for their study of which the knowledge is more readily acquired, and where the labour of initiation is not arduous or protracted. Hence the higher departments of zoology, botany, &c. are more frequently selected, offering as they do more prominent and obvious characters, easily detected by the investigator.

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Publisher: Anthem Press
Print publication year: 2012

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