viii NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



part of their readers than all other influences com- 

 bined. 



It is therefore much more a matter of importance 

 to get the right kind of book than to get a living 

 teacher. The book which teaches results, and at the 

 same time gives in an intelligible manner the steps of 

 discovery and the methods employed, is a book 

 which will stimulate the student to repeat the ex- 

 periments described and get beyond them into fields 

 of original research himself. Every one remem- 

 bers the published lectures of Faraday on chemistry, 

 which exercised a wide influence in changing the 

 style of books on natural science, causing them to 

 deal with method more than results, and thus train 

 the reader's power of conducting original research. 

 Robinson Crusoe for nearly two hundred years has 

 aroused the spirit of adventure and jDrompted young 

 men to resort to the border lands of civiHzation. A 

 library of home reading should contain books that in- 

 cite to self -activity and arouse the spirit of inquiry. 

 The books should treat of methods of discovery and 

 evolution. All nature is unified by the discovery of 

 the law of evolution. Each and every being in the 

 world is now explained by the process of development 

 to which it belongs. Every fact now throws light on 

 all the others by illustrating the process of growth in 

 which each has its end and aim. 



The Home Reading Books are to be classed as 

 follows : 



Fhst Division. Natural history, including popular 

 scientific treatises on plants and animals, and also de- 



