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THE NATURALIST. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE POPULARITY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



With Illustrations and Suggestions. 



By Edwin Lees, F.L.S. 



I feel disposed on the present occasion to assume the garb of " Dr. Dryasdust," 

 and to enter upon a dissertation wherein my opinions may, perhaps, meet with 

 disapproval by some equally competent to form a judgment as myself, rather than 

 to journey on at this moment, amidst scenes tenanted by birds, insects, and 

 flowers, where there could be no jarring string. Good, however, is frequently 

 effected by the disclosures an argument calls forth, just as a fossil unexpectedly 

 appears in a rock one might be breaking-up without such an object in view. If, 

 therefore, I should tempt any abler pen to take up this subject, I shall rejoice, 

 even if my own ideas should appear to be unsustained. 



Among the various oracular dicta that in this teeming age of useful and enter- 

 taining knowledge have resounded in the public ear, till they have been supposed 

 unassailable truisms, the " popularity " of Natural History has surely appeared 

 not the least prominent. It seems, indeed, almost treasonable to doubt it ; but 

 by what test are we to try the truth of this assumed popularity ? If I am 

 referred to the various societies formed professedly to promote the study of 

 Natural History, I answer these are assemblages of its votaries^ formed for the 

 facility of communication with each other, and, the public being excluded, these 

 (were they even more numerous than they are) would be by no means decisive 

 of the universality of the taste for the pursuit in question. If I am referred to 

 the numerous works published on the subject within the last few years, it must 

 be distinctly shown, that all these have remunerated their authors and publishers 

 before I shall feel satisfied that a case has been made out perfectly satisfactory as 

 to the general approval of works of this description by a " discerning public." 

 This point may, perhaps, be discussed hereafter. 



But surely I think I hear it exclaimed, the objects embraced by Natural 

 History must be "popular" — they are open to every one, the prince and the 

 peasant, and present their charms alike to all. Assuredly ! and I admit at once 

 that the objects taken up by Natural History are popular ; the most insensible 

 ploughman puts his hand to his hat for a moment to mark the Lark rising to 

 heaven's gate on the first vernal day — the most rigid votary of 'Change in the 

 pent-up city, snuffs up with delight the scent of the first delicious odour of the 



vol. hi. — NO. XVIII. k 



