382 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. . 
duties, or he enters at once upon his divine ministry. 
In the former case there is leisure, more than 
enough, to make himself practically conversant with 
the wonders of the material world; for into what- 
ever department of natural history his inclination 
may lead him, our island possesses stores of objects 
calling for observation and research. Whether his 
attention be directed to zoology, botany, mineralogy, 
or geology, he cannot fail of drawing from one and 
from all these studies, materials for illustrating the 
perfections of Him whose word he is to teach, and 
whose works he is to “magnify in the congre- 
gation.” If, on the contrary, the young divine is 
settled on asmall curacy “remote from cities,” what © 
a never-failing resource would he find in prose- 
cuting those physical studies, the elements of which 
had been acquired at the university. Independently 
of the spiritual use to which he could apply material 
things,—the shadows of such as are heavenly, — 
how little would he feel the loss of ordinary society, 
and how little would he prize that which usually 
distinguishes country families. It is for. these 
reasons we contend that the interests of religion, 
and the future worldly happiness of the students, 
are most materially concerned in the present ques- 
tion regarding our universities. It may be said that 
these pursuits miy produce evil, by absorbing too 
much of the time and attention of the young clergy- 
man from his pastoral duties. But this is no argu- 
ment to the purpose, for all the good and all the 
virtues of this world might equally be prohibited 
for the self-same reason. 
(263.) The neglect of this science at our uni- 
