  The editor esteems it his indispensable duty, to point out the several improvements which have been made in this work, in order to render it still more acceptable to the public. The whole has been carefully revised—many typographical errors corrected—numerous additions and emendations from the author’s own copy incorporated, and some superfluities rejected. Wherever any ambiguity occurred, the editor has endeavoured to elucidate the passage, observing due caution not to misconceive the idea which the author meant to inculcate. A more regular arrangement has been attempted, and occasional notes subjoined: in these, and in other parts of the work, it has been the editor’s primary object to ascertain facts, not to decide peremptorily. Should he in any instance have erred, he can assure the candid critic, that he shall experience a most sensible pleasure in conviction. The principal additions are, Accounts of the latest improvements which have been made in the construction of microscopes, particularly the lucernal. A description of the glass, pearl, &c. micrometers, as made by Mr. Coventry, and others. An arrangement and description of minute and rare shells. A descriptive list of a variety of vegetable seeds. Instructions for collecting and preserving insects, together with directions for forming a cabinet. A copious list of objects for the microscope. A list of Mr. Custance’s fine vegetable cuttings. With respect to the plates, three new engravings are introduced, viz.
Many additional figures have been inserted in other plates, and a number of errors in the references corrected. A complete list of the plates and a more extensive index are also added. It has been generally understood, that the author intended to have published this edition in octavo; but, the impropriety of adopting that mode must appear evident, for the very reason assigned by the author himself in the concluding part of his preface. If the plates are liable to sustain damage by folding them into a quarto, they would have been subjected to far greater injury by being doubled into an octavo size, besides, being extremely incommodious for reference. As the work now appears, the purchaser may either retain the plates in the separate volume, or, without much inconvenience, if properly guarded, have them bound with the letter press. It affords the editor a pleasing satisfaction to mention, that notwithstanding the additional heavy expense incurred in the article of paper, &c. yet, by somewhat enlarging the page, and other economical regulations in the mode of printing, this edition is offered to the public at a trifling advance on the original price, though the improvements now made occupy considerably more than one-hundred pages. Anxious, lest the reputation which the work has already acquired, should be diminished by any deficiency on his part, the editor has sedulously applied himself to render it extensively useful to the serious admirer of the wonders of the creation; whether he has succeeded, is now submitted to the decision of the intelligent part of the public. He shall only add, that conscious of the purity of his intentions, and convinced of the instability of all terrestrial attainments, he trusts that he is equally secured from the weakness of being elevated by success, or depressed by disappointment. Apothecaries Hall, London, |
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