OYSTER CULTURE IN AMERICA. 715 



I 



nent scientists for their favour, not only in my own behalf 

 and name, but also in that of my fellow-countrymen at 

 least that portion of them who take an interest in the sub- 

 ject of this work, whom these extracts from books not 

 generally accessible will, I feel assured, serve to interest, 

 to instruct, and in the near future, perhaps, inspire to imi- 

 tate the Americans in one of the grandest lessons in 

 Governmental utility, duty, and wisdom, that the civilized 

 world is witnessing at the present time. 



Let the carping critic snarl his journalistic dissent, 

 and growl at this " gushing eulogy of spread-eagleism, and 

 march of Yankee progress in commercial prosperity ;" 

 neither he nor such as he, nor any right-minded English- 

 man, can deny the fact that in their seven-league-strides' - 

 march of progress, the people on the other side of the 

 Atlantic have, in many things, left the mother country far 

 behind, and particularly so in oyster culture. 



That the English people have failed to participate to 

 any creditable degree in an industry so important, have 

 even failed to appreciate its importance, should be a 

 humiliating reflection to the Government, and is the more 

 remarkable, and the more bitterly to be regretted, when we 

 remember the national trait of conquering perseverance 

 inherent in the British character. 



But if 



" coming events cast their shadows before," 



then, I am pleased to say that there are not wanting signs 

 that the public's harmful indifference, and the Govern- 

 ment's lamentable neglect, are if slowly, most surely 

 being succeeded by more promising phases of most neces- 

 sary reform ; so that the signs of the times are pregnant 

 with healthy hope that oyster culture, in as fortunate an 

 aspect of successful result on dutiful venture as wealth and 



