By the Rev. T. A. Marshall. 58 
temple could never have risen from the ground. There are latent 
possibilities about him which at any time may take a surprising 
development: the most philosophic naturalist must have begun by 
collecting, and must continue to some extent to collect throughout 
his career: as the child is father of the man, so is the amateur the 
father of the observer. I think, then, it is a sadly conceited mistake 
to undervalue the functions of the amateur: on the contrary he 
deserves every respect, and should be encouraged to the top of his bent. 
On a somewhat higher round of the scientific ladder stand those 
who employ themselves in bringing together the species found in 
some particular country or district, with a distinct object, viz., that 
of ascertaining the limits of its productions. They frequently read 
such books as are necessary to name their species, and when this is 
done correctly, they contribute to a knowledge of the laws of 
distribution. Many of them would, if they had the opportunity, 
enlarge the circle of their observations; but circumstances confine 
them toa single country. Our Continental friends laugh at us for 
establishing a sixth quarter of the Globe, as if Great Britain and 
Ireland were physically distinct from the rest of Northern Europe. 
However, local observations are not without value in their bearing 
upon general laws; but beyond this they contribute little, and their 
usefulness is considerably restricted. 
Far above these—so far, indeed, that sometimes they are quite 
lost in the clouds—are the classifiers and systematists. Many of 
them, also, limit their speculations to the Fauna of one locality, in 
_ which case their partial systems cannot fail to be exploded as soon 
as they are compared with schemes that aim at universality. There 
is a great deal too much of classification ; the best arrangements are 
but artificial, and can lay no claim to finality. The materials are 
not yet brought together upon which a permanent and compre- 
hensive system of organisms can be founded. Some kind of order 
is necessary for practical purposes, and such attempts at order exist 
in superabundance. So long as they serve their purpose, which can 
be but temporary, it is idle to permute and combine as a mere 
exercise of ingenuity. Nevertheless many eminent writers are to 
be found in this class, and their labours have supplied a necessary 
