as a Study for young People. 1 25 



merely to profitable pursuits, or utility in the lower sense of 

 the word." In a more liberal sense, it may be observed, that 

 any thing which affords elegant and innocent recreation, is of 

 considerable utility. 



Notwithstanding the unquestionable interest which young 

 people generally take in the observation of natural objects, 

 natural history has, hitherto, been singularly neglected; I 

 mean, as a subject of general enquiry. Many have devoted 

 themselves entirely to the study of nature, and such rapid 

 strides have been made in every quarter of it, within the last 

 century, as to keep the most zealous upon the alert, to follow 

 in their various tracks; but, professors excepted, compara- 

 tively few persons have turned their attention to a pursuit so 

 eminently interesting. Children are frequently observed to 

 seize with avidity any little book that treats of the habits of 

 animals ; a thirst for further knowledge on the subject is ex- 

 cited, but this great advantage is lost. The early years of 

 boyhood are generally devoted to the mysteries of grammar ; 

 and a child who is detected in reading anecdotes of the faith-' 

 ful attachment of dogs, of the systematic industry of the 

 beaver, &c., is told to put away his " play-books," and learn 

 his Latin. Thus discouraged at an early period, without thie 

 means of gaining further knowledge on the subject to which 

 his inclination would lead him, the inclination itself gradually 

 dies away, ending, perhaps, in a passion for birdsnesting, or 

 the infliction of other torment upon animals ; a habit more 

 frequently to be traced to a thoughtless curiosity, and an 'in- 

 terest in their movements, than to any actual desire of giving 

 pain. He would see animals in action. Let him watch the 

 labours of the bee-hive; his attention will be fixed, his in- 

 terest excited, and he will have no wish to disturb the indus- 

 trious colony that affords him so much amusement. Let him 

 examine the busy activity of the ant-hill, and still he will be 

 satisfied with the objects before him. The habits of birds^ 

 being less open to observation, he seeks them in the nest; 

 first, from curiosity; though, afterwards, it is probable that 

 his vanity will be called into play, by the desire of multiplying 

 the trophies of his address and agility ; and he will string 

 together the baffled hopes of many a feathered pair, proudly 

 triumphing in their numbers, but without one thought of the 

 bereaved mothers and their disappointed mates. If he diverts 

 himself with catching flies, it is still in the same spirit of cu- 

 riosity : they fly from place to place, he cannot trace each 

 individual, or, in any way, understand its economy ; he would 

 know what it would do under certain circumstances ;- lie' 

 catches one in his hand, it flutters to escape ; he contrives to 



