Respect to the Memory of this valuable and worthy Man, will not suffer him to omit this Opportunity of giving him the Character that is most justly his due, viz. That he was a Person of unbounded Curiosity, and unwearied Application in his Researches into the Works of Nature; in the Study of which all those Hours were employed that could be spared from his immediate Business; by which Means, during a long Life, he had not only got together a great Variety of the most rare natural Productions, but also from Time to Time had written down his Observations thereon, which deserve the highest Regard, as his Judgment and Veracity were both without Exception. And, as he loved these Studies himself, he was a zealous Encourager of all that had the same Inclination, whom he was always ready to assist with his laboriously acquired Knowledge.
But to proceed—He must also acknowledge, that in the Course of this Undertaking he has made use of the Drawings of some Caterpillars and Flies which were published not long ago in a curious Work of this Sort, by J. A. Rosel, at Norimburgh, in Germany: But he has taken from him such only as are exactly of the same Species with what we have in England, though we have not yet been so fortunate to meet with them under all their several Changes: what Information that Gentleman has given, as to those Particularities concerning them which we are yet unacquainted with, he therefore judged proper to insert.
As to the Plants, Flowers, and Fruits, he declares himself under the highest Obligation to a most curious Naturalist, and worthy Member of the Royal Society of London, whose costly and valuable Collection is known to the learned World, and esteemed as it deserves. This Gentleman has generously permitted him to make use of many excellent Paintings of these Subjects, which were taken from Nature by those two celebrated Artists Mr. George Dennis Ehret, and Mr. Jacobus Van Heysum, and executed with the utmost Judgment and Command of Pencil, so that he could hardly doubt but that true Copies of them would give great Pleasure to the Lovers of Botany, whom he has endeavoured to entertain with all the Variety he could introduce.
Some Ill-natured People, that love to find Fault with every Thing, have, he hears, objected against the Liberty he has taken, in giving in several of his Plates, Plants, Flowers, and Fruits, that are not in Reality the Food of the Caterpillars therein exhibited; but as the greatest Part of the Caterpillars described in this Work feed chiefly on the Oak, Elm, Black-Thorn, White-Thorn, Willow, and Nettle, all which are separately represented in different Plates, it was judged unnecessary (and would certainly have been tiresom) to repeat those Subjects, as often as different Caterpillars are presented to which they serve for Food: and therefore, instead of so doing, the Author has enriched his Undertaking with some of the most beautiful Productions of Nature in the Vegetable Kingdom: But, however, has not forgot to place the Caterpillars, in most of the Plates, on a small Specimen of the real Plant on which it feeds, as will be properly explained in the Account of each Particular Fly:—and this Care, it is hoped will be an Answer to all unreasonable Cavils.
The Plates are all drawn and etched with his own Hand, in a quite new Manner; whereby every Design, when coloured, appears like a regular Piece of Painting; and the Flies are drawn and Painted with the utmost Exactness, from as fine and perfect Specimens as can be bred. The common Method of amusing the Reader with long Accounts of the Colours and Markings of each Fly is avoided in this Work, as entirely needless, when the Objects are truly represented before his Eyes.
His Classing of the Caterpillars will be found of great Use; for if it be enquired what Fly any Caterpillar that may happen to present itself will produce, by observing its Character you will easily be satisfied (if it is in this Collection) and be likewise taught what its proper Food is, &c. Names are absolutely necessary to distinguish one Fly from another, and enable the Curious in this Study to communicate any Observations they may make; which, without giving Names to the Flies, would be very difficult, if even possible to be done; as they must be greatly at a Loss to make others perfectly understand what Flies they are treating of. The worthy Members of the Aurelian Society, and several other ingenious Gentlemen, have been so sensible of this, that they, from Time to Time, have thought proper to bestow some Name on every Species that has come within their Knowledge.
Indeed Names are arbitrary, and if remembered, and the Intent of them well understood, may, whatever they are, serve the Purpose of giving them: But here, as in every Thing else, a Propriety is to be aimed at, and the Names given ought to denote some distinguishing Particularity, and that the most obvious, in the Subject on which they are bestowed, so as to make the Name, if possible, descriptive of the Thing: Which Rule has been followed as strictly as might be in naming the Moths and Butterflies contained in this Work: that is to say, the Shape, the Colour, the Marking, the Food, or the Place where found is what they are named from. But in doing this, where the Author found them named to his Hands in this descriptive Manner, he has gladly retained the Name they had already, and only presumes to bestow Names himself on such as either had none at all, or which he thought not sufficiently denotative of the particular Flies intended to be known by them.
The Division of the Work into Books and Chapters may need some Explanation, since under some of the Divisions very few, or even but one single Fly is placed; the Reason whereof is, that the Plan here laid down is intended for the Arranging of all the Moths and Butterflies, whose Progression is known at present, or shall hereafter be discovered in England; of which, as the Flies here given are but a small Part, this must be considered but as an Out-line to be filled up occasionally.
It is hoped the Directions here given how to collect the Caterpillars or Chrysalides, how to feed and take Care of them, how to preserve the Flies when bred, and where and at what Times they may be found most easily, will prove both acceptable and useful to every curious Collector; and as the Author thinks himself under great Obligations to the Subscribers to, and Encouragers of this Undertaking, a List of their Names is added as a Memorial of his Gratitude.
These Things being premised, we come now to give a short Sketch of the Natural History of the English Moths and Butterflies in general.