50 The British Naturalist. 



says the writer, in his preface, " the merit of the systems and 

 subdivisions : for those who devote themselves to a single 

 science, they are admirable ; but to the great body of the 

 people they are worse than useless." So far from decrying 

 scientific works, we take the greatest delight in them ; yet at 

 the same time we profess ourselves admirers of the Selborne 

 school. Wishing to see a love of nature become more general 

 and diffused, and convinced as we are " how delightful and 

 how profitable it would be, if all would be their own natu- 

 ralists, and go to the living fountain instead of the stagnant 

 pool," we hail with satisfaction the appearance of any work 

 which has a tendency to create and foster a taste for natural 

 history in these kingdoms. Just such a work is the British 

 Naturalist, Addressed, as it were, " ad populum," and put 

 forth in a form intelligible to all, the book can hardly fail of 

 attracting the favourable attention of the public, and obtaining 

 a very extensive circulation. We are pleased also with the 

 general tone of good feeling which pervades the whole. In 

 the introductory chapter, which contains many excellent and 

 judicious remarks, the student is directed to the proper end 

 and object of his studies in the field of nature, the know- 

 ledge and adoration of God. We extract the concluding 

 paragraph of this portion of the work : — 



" The only sure way to become naturalists, in the most pleasing sense 

 of the term, is, to observe the habits of the plants and animals that we see 

 around us, not so much with a view of finding out what is uncommon, as 

 of being well acquainted with that which is of every-day occurrence. Nor 

 is this a task of difficulty, or one of dull routine. Every change of eleva- 

 tion or exposure is accompanied by a variation both in plants and in ani- 

 mals ; and every season and week, nay, almost every day, brings something 

 new ; so that, while the book of nature is more accessible and more easily 

 read than the books of the library, it is at the same time more varied. In 

 whatever place, or at whatever time, one may be disposed to take a walk ; 

 in the most sublime scenes, or on the bleakest wastes ; on arid downs, or 

 by the margins of rivers or lakes ; inland, or by the sea-shore ; in the wild 

 or on the cultivated ground; and in all kinds of weather and all seasons 

 of the year; nature is open to our enquiry. The sky over us, the eartb 

 beneath our feet, the scenery around, the animals that gambol in the open 

 spaces, those that hide themselves in coverts, the birds that twitter on the 

 wing, sing in the grove, ride upon the wave, or float along the sky, with 

 the fishes that tenant the waters, the insects that make the summer air 

 alive ; all that God has made, is to us for knowledge, and pleasure, and use- 

 fulness, and health ; and when we have studied and known the wonders of 

 His workmanship, we have made one important step toward the adoration 

 of His omnipotence, and obedience to His will." (p. 38, 39.) 



After the introduction, which we recommend to the atten- 

 tive perusal of our readers, the subject matter of the remain- 

 ing portion of the first volume is distributed into six heads, or 

 chapters, under the respective titles of the Mountain, the Lake, 



