Dialogues on the Beauty of Nature and Moral Reflections on Certain Topics of Natural History

Eric Miller is the author of two books of poetry. He has also translated Linnaeus's Nemesis Divina. He is Assistant Professor in the English Department at the University of Victoria, British Columbia. Miller holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

• Chapter 1 PrefaceChapter 2 IntroductionChapter 3 Acknowledgments: Dialogues on the Beauty of NatureChapter 4 Reflection on This New EditionChapter 5 First Dialogue: The first dialogue details the sensory beauties of nature.; They comprise:; A morning view; Natural pleasure; Change in natural beauty; Gentle effects of nature; Order and harmony of nature; Beauty of the vegetable kingdom; Beauty ofChapter 6 Second Dialogue: Origin of the arts in nature; Comparison of nature and art; Agreeable engagement of the spirit; Nature's consummate art manifest in the eye; Wisdom in the works of nature; Wisdom in individual kinds; Exceptional example of the aboveChapter 7 Third Dialogue: An evening prospect; Evening thoughts; Champions of arbitrary chance; True order and constant equilibrium in nature; How much is owing to accident; Purpose in nature; Doubts raised against the above; Proof of purpose drawn from indivChapter 8 Fourth Dialogue: Kinds of beauty in nature; Rarities in nature; In the kingdom of minerals; In the vegetable kingdom; Wonder in the generation of plants; In the animal kingdom; Metamorphoses of insects; Genius of animals; Economy and genius of bees;Chapter 9 Fifth Dialogue: God in the beauty of nature; Highest object of thought; nature is the school of the spirits; And of the heart; Highest degree of natural beauty; Moral reflections on certain topics of natural history