PREFACE. GOLDSMITH'S HISTORY OF THE EARTH AND ANIMATED NATURE was first published in the year 1774 (the year of the author's death), and it doubtless owed its origin to the writings of Buffon, which, about this period, had attracted the eyes of all Europe to the study of Natural History. An English translation of the French naturalist's voluminous productions, with their numerous illustrations, was at first considered by the booksellers as too hazardous a step to venture on; ten years more had to elapse before that undertaking was commenced; but something, it was felt, might meanwhile be done towards producing a native work on the same subject, having similar recommendations as to character, without being equally expensive, and at the same time embracing the whole animal kingdom-FISHES and INSECTS, as well as QUADRUPEDS and BIRDS-which Buffon's labours did not pretend to do. This work GOLDSMITH was prevailed upon to undertake, and with what success he accomplished his task, the world, by its unanimous approval, has long decided. He brought, it is true, little original information to the subject, nor did he affect, except in a few cases, to rest the truth of his statements on personal investigation; but he collected, arranged, and combined, into one consistent whole, the knowledge which then existed on Natural History, and, by the graces of his style, threw a charm over the science, unknown before to the English reader. Buffon was confessedly his main guide; and, following him, he was inclined to hold in little estimation the elaborate systematic arrangements of other naturalists-an error on his part, which, after all, is perhaps not much to be regretted, if, by adopting it, he was enabled to render his subject more attractive. The first point to be gained, in his day particularly, was to excite an interest in the science, by displaying before the public eye its numberless treasures. This once accomplished, little fear could be entertained but that its study would come to be pursued methodically. To GOLDSMITH, who, in the words of Dr. Johnson, "touched nothing which he did not adorn," belonged the privilege of exhibiting in the golden light of genius a subject which had hitherto in England been only partially or barrenly disclosed; nor should we complain, if to others he left the task of classifying, more rigidly than he at the time saw necessary, those living phenomena of Nature which he had so brilliantly illustrated. In preparing the present edition, it was at first thought that the Work might be so arranged as to accord with some modern system of classification; but after a short trial, this design was abandoned, not altogether from its impracticability, but from the necessity which it entailed of making more violent changes on the original than was anticipated. These changes, it was found, would not be confined to the mere transposition of chapters, but would interfere in many cases with the integrity of the author's text—a point which no expediency could justify, and which, if once admitted in reprints of standard books, would put an end to all reliance on their fidelity. It was, therefore, resolved to publish the HISTORY OF THE EARTH AND ANIMATED NATURE without transposition or alteration of any kind, but to supply, in the shape of NOTES, whatever was found necessary for the correction or illustration of the text, including descriptions of the different systematic arrangements of the Animal Kingdom adopted by the more distinguished modern naturalists. By this method, the reader would have the satisfaction of possessing, in its entire and unaltered state, the celebrated work of GOLDSMITH, accompanied, at the same time, by a fund of additional matter, which would bring down the history of the subjects treated of to the present day, and introduce the recent important discoveries connected therewith. Following this design, no pains have been spared to render its execution satisfactory. A glance over the volumes will at once show how copiously they are illustrated, in all their departments. The Notes, in short, far surpass in extent of letterpress the text itself. They have been compiled from almost every variety of source, including all the most approved modern publications on Natural Science and History. In most of the editions of GOLDSMITH'S NATURAL HISTORY, the Illustrative Engravings have either been few in number, or exceedingly deficient in truth and artistic quality, or have been both few and bad. The Publishers desired to obviate any such fatal objections to the present edition; and they believe that the Engravings they have introduced, in number, as well as in quality, will give evidence of the attention that has been paid to the illustrative department. These contain nearly Two THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FIGURES, embracing an extensive series of genera, species, and individuals; and of this number, upwards of Two HUNDRED FIGURES, forming groups of the most interesting families, are truthfully and carefully coloured. GOLDSMITH's popular writings are of a class that "the world will not willingly let die;" and it is hoped, that the extensive additions now made to his Natural History, and the pictorial illustrations prepared for it, will render it better suited to the wants of the present day, and will aid in the perpetuation of a Work of which Dr. Johnson prophesied that it would prove "as interesting as a fairy tale." GLASGOW, 1862. |