Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/307

 by other People, shewed him the same Animals that Monsieur Rhedi had discovered already; and innumerable sorts of others, never yet thought of.

Besides Monsieur Leeuwenhoek, there have been two very eminent Men in Holland for this Business; Goedartius and Swammerdam. Goedartius, who was no Philosopher, but one who, for his Diversion, took great Delight in painting all sorts of Insects, has given very exact Histories of the several Changes of Caterpillars into Butter-Flies, and Worms or Maggots into Flies; which had never before been taken notice of, as specifically different. These Changes had long before been observed in Caterpillars and Maggots by Aristotle, Theophrastus and Pliny: But they, who did, in a manner, all that has been done in this Matter by the Ancients, content themselves with general Things. They enter not into Minute Enquiries about the several Species of these Animals, which are very numerous: They do not state the Times of their several Changes. So that these Matters being left untouched, we have an admirable Specimen of the Modern Advancement of Knowledge, in Goedartius's Papers (r).