PERSONAL 'CONTACT WITH NATURE. J J 



so little work will make the student master of so much 

 ground. 



It is a great advantage if the study of minerals can 

 be preceded or accompanied by at least a little work 

 in chemistry; and some knowledge of zoology and 

 botany is indispensable to good work in palaeontology, 

 or the study of fossils ; while other branches of ge- 

 ology make large demands upon physics, mechanics, 

 etc. In short, a competent geologist, in the broadest 

 sense, must be a cultured person in the whole field of 

 natural science. 



The golden rule in natural science is to study natu- 

 ral objects rather than books ; and it is especially im- 

 portant that this rule should be observed in the study 

 of minerals and rocks. The most perfect descrip- 

 tions and pictures cannot take the place of the actual 

 specimens or examples, but all knowledge of any real 

 or permanent value must be obtained first hand, /. ^., 

 must be based upon personal observation. Books are, 

 of course, useful for reference and to supplement real 

 learning or observation ; but the student should re- 

 gard them merely as auxiliary, and never make them 

 his main reliance. 



When we must resort to books, it is, of course, im- 

 portant to have the best ; and the list of works rela- 

 ting to the different departments of geology, which 

 may be found on another page, will aid students in 

 making a wise selection. 



Since the student's main reliance should be upon 

 nature, and not upon books, the collection of speci- 

 mens becomes in most cases a very important pre- 

 liminary to good work in geology. And students and 

 chapters are requested to bear in mind Professor 

 Agassiz's excellent advice to the effect that the most 

 valuable work a society can do, is to make a complete 

 collection and thorough study of the specimens found 



