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ia our Club, — and the objects we have in view could not be better 

 seen and understood than as presented to us in the Natural History 

 of Selborne. To read that book is almost to read in full the exact 

 kind of work we have to do, what belongs to us as a Club, and what 

 we should each of us endeavour to set forward as far as we can. 

 White's idea was a veiy comprehensive one. His book takes account 

 of almost everything. He speaks of the situation and boundaries, 

 the scenery and physical characters of the district which he had 

 undertaken to describe, its climate and meteorology, its animal and 

 vegetable productions, dwelling especially on the habits of those 

 animals which were constantly under his eye ; he mentions its soils, 

 rocks, and fossils ; he enters into many interesting details respecting 

 the inhabitants of the village, — the cottages of the poor, their 

 economy and modes of life, their employments, their superstitions, 

 and other little matters which it is unnecessary to specify ; while 

 with respect to the early history and antiquities of the village itself, 

 he sought out all that could be gleaned from old records, this part 

 of his subject being treated of at great length, and forming no 

 inconsiderable portion of the original work. Get all the facts 

 together in any district relating to these several topics, and we have 

 its whole histoiy. And let the members of our Club who have 

 engaged in such an undertaking copy after "White ; copy him in his 

 zeal and assiduity ; be, like him, always on the look-out for some- 

 thing new, though going year after year over the same field, and, 

 as in his case so in theirs, something will be continually tm-ning up 

 to reward and encourage them in their researches. 



But without further particularising the several kinds of facts we 

 have to collect in illustration of our own Bath district, I would 

 take this opportunity of saying a few words respecting the care and 

 judgment required in collecting them. How are they to be got 

 together ? Clearly we must either look after them and observe for 

 ourselves or we must trust the observations of others. And the 

 first at least of these methods may seem a simple matter. To see 

 with our own eyes and to hear with our own ears, — what more 

 direct channels for getting at the truth ? Yet the testimony of our 

 own senses is not always forthwith to be accepted in scientific 

 inquiries. We must be upon our guard. Persons in general are 



