74 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Feb. 



Even to those who criticised him severely he bore no ill-will, and he 

 certainly did not return railing for railing. Over and again was 

 I associated with him in scientific rambles and in meetings of natu- 

 ralists ; and I have seen the tact with which he subdued the perfer- 

 vidum ingenium when misdirected, and calmed the turbulent spirit 

 when self-esteem prevailed over the due acknowledgment of an- 

 other's merits. He was truly unselfish, and never failed to recog- 

 nize and encourasre merit wherever he could detect it. He had a 

 truly generous spirit, and was totally devoid of narrow bigotry. 

 He was desirous of promoting science, independently of all sel- 

 fish views. He loved it for its own sake. Would that his example 

 was more followed by all of us ! When we look at the changes 

 which are constantly taking place in the views of naturalists as 

 science advances, we cannot but feel the need of modeety in 

 the statement of our opinions. While we give our views and the 

 reasons for adopting them, let this be done without dogmatism or 

 asperity. Let us remember that our conclusions may be modi- 

 fied or altered by future discoveries. Such anticipations, however, 

 should not paralyze our efforts. Science is advancing, facts are 

 being accumulated, and, year after year, a noble structure is being 

 reared on a sound foundation. It requires now and then a mas- 

 ter-mind to bring out great generalizations, and to give a decided 

 impetus to the work. Facts must be carefully weighed, and knowl- 

 edge must be accurate and extensive ; otherwise a genius in sci- 

 ence is apt to bring forward rash generalizations, and to indulge 

 in unfounded speculations. The imagination is disposed to run 

 riot when a grand vista seems to open before it, and it flies on 

 heedlessly to the terminus without surveying the intermediate 

 ground. We do not ignore speculation ; but we recommend, at 

 the same time, cautious induction — a sifting of facts and of their 

 relations to each other. Natural History sciences are now assuming 

 an important place in education. They are not confined, as for- 

 merly, chiefly to medical men, but they enter more or less into 

 the preliminary studies of every one. While Classics and Mathe- 

 matics ought to have an important place in our schools and col- 

 leges, Natural History cannot now be neglected. Universities 

 which formerly ignored it, are now remedying their error in this 

 respect ; and we may ere long hope to find it occupying a still 

 more important position in educational institutions. The possess- 

 ion of university honors is now connected, to a certain degree, 



