Utility of natural history : a discourse, delivered before the Berkshire Medical Institution, at the organization of the Lyceum of Natural History in Pittsfield, Sept. 10, 1823 / by Edward Hitchcock.

  • Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864.
Date:
[1823]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Utility of natural history : a discourse, delivered before the Berkshire Medical Institution, at the organization of the Lyceum of Natural History in Pittsfield, Sept. 10, 1823 / by Edward Hitchcock. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    embraces the amphibia, or reptiles and serpents; 400 spe- cies of which are known to exist. The fifth link compre- hends the fishes ; including not less than 1000 species. The sixth link is composed of the insect tribe ; 20,000 spe- cies of which have been discovered. The seventh link em- braces those animated and semianimated beings, known by the general name of vermes ; such as the various kinds of shell animals, corals, sponges, polypi, and microscopic ani- malcules that float in air and water ; extending, in the whole, to about 4000 species. The eighth link introduces us into the vegetable kingdom ; and not less than 44,000 species of plants have already been described ; which, in the opinion of the most able botanists, is probably less than half the re- al number that actually exists on the globe. The last link carries us beyond the region of organized being, and places us in the mineral kingdom ; comprehending the great mass of the globe. It furnishes, however, less than 300 species. All will acknowledge that the field opened to the natu- ralist is vast, and the objects before him almost endlessly va- ried. But the cui bono, the utility of these pursuits, may not be so obvious. And to this point T invite your attention. I begin with exhibiting the utility of natural history in rela- tion,the common and social interests of man. There is no stronger desire of human nature, and, indeed, of all animal natures, than that of self preservation. And constant experience testifies to the truth of the scriptural declaration, skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath, will he give for his life. And it is a demonstrative proof that man lives in a state partly penal and partly merciful,* that while pain and death are commissioned to ravage the world and to convert it into a vast Golgotha, so many remedies to allevi- ate distress, to heal diseases, and to stay the uplifted arm of the king of terrors, are placed within the reach of human sagacity. The box of Pandora has, indeed, let loose a de- luge of miseries upon our fallen race : But we are not left * See Gisborne's Testimony of Nat, Theology to Christianity,