On the Study of Natural History. 85 



in all probability, remain to be discovered? True. But the ob- 

 jection is, in part, groundless, because it implies the practicability 

 of doing that which, under any circumstances, is next to impos- 

 sible. No naturalist of the present day, however enthusiastic, 

 ever dreams of investigating every species in his cabinet, for the 

 mere object of giving them names. In proportion to the mag- 

 nitude of his subject, or to the extent of his collection, he limits 

 his inquiries. He is content to acquire a knowledge of generic 

 types, — of the species of any particular group, or of those only 

 which belong to one country. It is true that his studies will 

 not be attended with that variety which results from a more 

 general survey of nature ; but the real interest, by such a re- 

 striction, is rather increased : and, by confining his attention to 

 a smaller number of objects, he may feel assured of understand- 

 ing them, in the end, much better, and of being able to illustrate 

 their history with more truth, than any of his predecessors might 

 have done. Fewer points of reference, either from books or 

 specimens, are necessary. And the means of adding something 

 to the general store of knowledge is thus placed within the 

 power of every one who can provide himself with a few element- 

 ary works. Trembley immortalised his name by discovering 

 the reproductive powers of the polype * ; and the anatomical 

 treatise of Lyonnet, who fixed his attention on a single insect, 

 has been pointed out as a model of perfection. 



Nevertheless, so varied are the channels by which informa- 

 tion is to be sought for, and so numerous are the paths which 

 centre in the portico of the temple of Nature, that the most un- 

 scientific observer has the power of contributing something to 

 illustrate the economy of creation. Natural History cannot be 

 learned from books, or from museums : these are, indeed, ne- 

 cessary to acquire what is termed a systematic acquaintance 

 with the subject, and so far may be considered essential. Yet 

 this constitutes but a small and comparatively uninterest- 

 ing portion of the science. The true naturalist does not con- 

 tent himself with making a tour of museums, — \\'\\h naming 

 their contents, with manufacturing names, or with framing inge- 

 nious theories from stuffed skins : he goes beyond the precincts 



* A. Trembley, immortel par la decouverte de la reproduction du 

 polype, Cuvier. Reg. Anim. iv. p. 165. 



