360 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
from their high cost, can be possessed but by few 
naturalists,—less indispensable to our researches. If. 
we aim at great proficiency and superior accuracy, 
these splendid publications must be had, cost what 
they will; for few of them, comparatively, can be 
seen at the public libraries ; and the same unavoid- 
able objection exists to their partial and hurried 
use, in such situations, as that already mentioned 
regarding specimens. For these reasons, the pos- 
session of a library and museum, available at ail 
hours and at all seasons, is indispensable to the 
philosophic zoologist, who has thus to expend a 
fortune to become a master in his science. 
(248.) But if, after making such sacrifices, both 
of time and of money, he becomes: qualified to write 
upon the higher departments of his science, to 
search after general laws, or to unfold a new leaf cf 
the philosophy of nature, and by giving the result 
to the world, gain at least the praise (unsubstantial 
though it be) due to his discoveries, his hopes will 
be miserably disappointed. If he attempt to ex- 
hibit his science as a chain of demonstrable truths, 
and to address his readers as if they already pos- 
sessed some proficiency in the matter, his work will 
fall still-born from the press,—no bookseller will 
incur the risk of publication ; well knowing that the 
little demand for such publications will subject him 
to a certain loss, even though the work is brought 
out at the lowest price.* If, on the other hand, he 

* A striking instance of this has been shown in the Zoolo- 
gical Researches of Mr. Thompson, a collection of memoirs in 
8vo. published in 3s. 6d. numbers about every three months. 
