_Being diffident of my own Performance, and desirous it should stand or fall by the Opinion of the Best of Judges, was the Motive that induced me to make my Application to that very Learned, truly Judicious and commendably Curious Person to whom it’s dedicated: At the same time determining, that if he approv’d of it, I would publish it; and if he disapprov’d, that I would burn it. But it happily meeting his Approbation, it now makes its Appearance in Print: Tho’ I must in Justice to him acknowledge, it could not have so done so soon, nor with such Embellishments, had he not only forwarded the Impression, but directed and order’d the Copper-plate. As it has not only his Approbation, but also, by his introducing it, the unanimous Concurrent Approbation of (those great Encouragers of things useful) the Royal Society; I hope it will not fail of meeting a kind Reception from the Inhabitants in and about this Metropolis; by whom, as such a Treatise, &c. was most wanted, for their Benefit and Ease it was at first chiefly design’d._ _Tho’ with such Helps as it now has, I am not without Hopes that it may extend its Qualities to distant infected Places._ _I should think it a Duty Incumbent on me, and would wait on the Venerable Members of the aforesaid Society, present when my Manuscript was read, personally to return them my Thanks for the Honours conferr’d on me. But as the Names and Places of Abode of most are unknown to me, I humbly beg they will accept this Acknowledgement of them, by their_ Obliged and Obedient Servant, JOHN SOUTHALL. [Illustration] [Illustration] A TREATISE OF BUGGS. As Buggs have been known to be in _England_ above sixty Years, and every Season increasing so upon us, as to become terrible to almost every Inhabitant in and about this Metropolis, it were greatly to be wished that some more learned Person than my self, studious for the Good of Human Kind, and the Improvement of natural Knowledge, would have oblig’d the Town with some Treatise, Discourse or Lecture on that nauseous venomous Insect. But as none such have attempted it, and I have ever since my return from _America_ made their destruction my Profession, and was at first much baffled in my Attempts for want, (as I then believ’d, and have since found) of truly knowing the Nature of those intolerable Vermin: I determined by all means possible to try if I could discover and find out as much of their Nature, Feeding and Breeding, as might be conducive to my being better able to destroy them. And tho’ in attempting it I must own I had a View at private Gain, as well as the publick Good; yet I hope my Design will appear laudable, and the Event answer both Ends.