6 INTRODUCTION. 



have had on his dress and the construction of his dwellings. 

 In different countries and climates, different animals and 

 plants would attract his attention ; but in all countries the 

 first objects of human solicitude must have been animals, 

 plants, the soil, and the weather. The study of natural his- 

 tory, therefore, is the most primitive and congenial of studies ; 

 as gardening and agriculture, arts which are founded on it, 

 are the most primitive and congenial of occupations. As 

 these arts are the preliminary occupations in new countries, and 

 as the first step in the civilisation of savages is to supply them 

 with useful plants, animals, and implements of culture, so the 

 study of natural history, the observation of the habits and 

 peculiarities of plants and animals, is the fittest to commence 

 with, and the bestcalculatedfor improving uninformed minds. 



The study of natural history we consider to be in an 

 especial manner calculated for raising the character of the 

 labouring classes of a community. It may be said to be a 

 study which they have, to a certain extent, already engaged 

 in ; it requires less preliminary information than any other 

 study, and cannot by any means be considered dry or severe, 

 since it requires habits of observation chiefly, and every step 

 is likely to be attended by some acquirement intimately con- 

 nected with, and beneficial in, the pursuits of a country life. 

 The humblest and most laborious individual, after fulfilling 

 all his duties to his employer and his family, has still a portion 

 of leisure ; and with him, as with man in every class of society, 

 happiness will be found to depend much more on the manner 

 in which this leisure time is spent, than on the nature of his 

 professional or mechanical occupation. But not only does 

 the happiness of the laborious classes depend on the manner 

 in which they spend their leisure time, but also their chance 

 of raising themselves to a higher condition in society. The 

 pursuits of natural history, besides their suitableness to the 

 former object, are, it is obvious, particularly adapted for ad- 

 vancing the interests of gardeners and agricultural labourers. 



The study of natural history is well calculated to have a bene- 

 ficial influence on the moral sentiments and conduct. While 

 various other descriptions of knowledge are cultivated to im- 

 prove the reasoning powers of the mind, their influence on the 

 heart and affections is comparatively remote. Natural history 

 has a different effect, and may be said to improve and humanise 

 the whole man. It is perfectly natural to man to regard with 

 affection the living things which surround him; and every 

 one must feel that the better these things are known, the 

 more they will be loved. If man born and educated in cities 

 has less interest or affection for animals and plants, than man 



