[ Vi u *
alterations and fuggeft- imf^ove^ents ^ better expedients .'very likely
may occti#'tol others; but >fome -are? reqüifitföjcj Inf?^^^t^tof*the
Inhabitants; # ii# required that general failit^s^}io'u]d'*be èbnfgjGTecli,
as well a&what dëferves the c h a fe r 'o f martial fpiritjAingenuity,
taftc, and indiiftry fecSrdèd. For, both fchëfèT make ntd&pöfcgy' ;
neither to the publiek för mentiönin^ the latter witH comffiendktion,
nor to you, for‘reprehending the former; conclüddng .fhatariis more
for the honour of our Country tö exptëfs ’ '*öUFf4iifa{ipr obatiqn of
-every thing that is ill, than,,1 by endeavouring tö'Cdnëeakand^ palliate,
to incur the imputation of patronizing erroiy or :difguifing truth.
Xd pre-engage your favour, and befpeak your applau-fók was-in
no wife, Gentlemen, the intention of this addrefs: I am perfuaded
fueh an application would be as vain and -impotent with ? regard to
you, as it would appear frivolousj| to the reft erf the world! The fate
o f the following work muft reft on its<own utility, 'jthejdtligbncê,
difcemment, -(if any), and integrity of the.Author, ;©b dèfervédly
fall for want o f .thefe its only juft ftipports. ;
A ccept however my moft ardent wifhes (the pubhck will readily
forgive this partiality) .fof jtiiy nativeComity and- .fAut a'May
the fubjerft of thefe papers, C ornwai* , (formerly .reckoned afliong
the Kingdoms of this Ifland, and upprefent ftilJ; more regar^dyfcar
its Natural Produétions as they become moré known) aflaurifk 9-, | -
under the infpeöion of its owners.
May you, Gentlemen, adorn your ancient names and inheritances
with every' virtue, national, focial, and- domdfldc; .concur with
harmony in promoting every rational, public-lpirited improvement;
by .thé influence of your example give weight and countenance to
religion and good manners; by yourjauthority réftrain the viciousj
by your charity relieve the indigent, .and generoufly employ the
induftrious.
T h e s .e are the wifhes, hopes, and prayers of
The A U T H O R .
[ y # J
S O M E, tepd^aqEy^ Explanaljon of the Rife .ihp following
c.Vi^Tteatife^b6 Difficulties which j^ e ^ £4,,,the Affiftapces to be
r - acknoMM'ged;i9the?Mbthod, „Plan, and Connexion of the whole
Work, and the .undeniable Impeffedtions in >tHe . Execution o f it?,
muft here be premifedy and fijbSpitted
T, | | K U Wm R <
C A N D I D RE ADER.
f®l|lpit,ed; about twenty yesu^neeyto, make a, cplletyon.jqf ^qrnifh
ffbfiHsftyorjfolne learned,gentlemenj abroad, ^l^ofe names.WjOuld entitle them
Hj^ga much lapfiriancQ'f^lpqmdencei*’; ^an.d'hfindi?igl the natural .prpdpjjtyjof this
County mud^egmmended alfofr^qppntly ■ employe^ afte^yrafds in the fame
■office^ I • became more and I mbre /fond fo£vg(bUe&^gif;tifr {any? fppdmpijs.,, tempted
me more; narfowfy• to; ihlpeftnknd .deferibe t h e m . Sever^)in<gdenl?,JC®fJadng jtp,
NATujaAfi HisiiqRY, in the mean* timejpccurrpd, aqddaimed^nplice, • which
I ' could .not deny them : My^ountiy ,vCas littlp known, and,my d&Gfe.^tp/utyey,
| -had :ffe,egn ;,pusblifhed
sifefcSrdhhoame Wtore apparent;1 and nhff being .-v^feTty^ftastUitB <jf thofe iwhpvtujged
me to this undertaking, I; became'engagedshyt'degrees,i aad! infenfiblyweptured
myfelf fo'far in the following work, that’I could proceed with more1*, safe, than
I eouHl retreat ‘with propriety.- 5
' My filiation however; was none1 o f the moft favourable to fuch an attempt ;
fity difttace from books arid thole aftemMieis Pf tKe learned1 who* had turned
their.-'ftudies into the fame chanel, was ’a difcoutbging;’ .aSid^in feme particulars,
' an, mfuperabfe. ^rfadvantage, but with regard to tire natural produ£tions, it enabled
me;,to examine mem all bri the fpbt,'ahd though I had "not always before me
'what the Literati Had written on the fame fuhjfeti* I* Cot&d1 better liri'dfetftand
what nature had d prillB
i Mr. Ray and Mr. E. LluySffio^ moft delervedly eminent in Natural Kriov^- Aids.
jeagi|:Came into Cornwall in'^pieft df'what was remarkable, and ftayed here
Ipme time. The former has diligently taken. a lift, of cnjr Fiih and Plants; and
though Antiquity participated tne attention of the latter, tyet" he made Ibme
difcOtferies in each department, and’rnereby concurred to render thetn lefs difficult
to: thofe, who were to lucceed ham in the lame refearches. Dr. Wo‘bdward!s
Dr. J. Frederick rS-fonovius^?, )P^.]L.innseuss»- aund the lateDr. Eaack J,awfon, then,.
at Leyden.
Method,