NATURE-STUDY—ITS OBJECT AND RULES 7 
that, if they do not suffice for ensuring an increase in 
the number of competent Nature-students, they will, 
at least, help to attain that very desirable end. 
My plan, in a few words, is to think of and study 
the life of a plant, as far as possible, in terms of our 
own life, and in trying thus to discover the answers 
to the questions which observation suggests the 
student will begin to realize, not only what a wonderful 
thing a plant is, not only the mighty part played by 
the vegetable world in the Scheme of Creation, but 
also what a beautiful world is the one in which we 
live here and now. It will be borne in upon him that 
what we call Nature, the animate and the inanimate 
creation, plants and animals, earth and air, winds and 
vain, rivers and mountains, heat and cold, light and 
darkness, labour and rest, all work together to carry 
out and perfect that scheme: that Nature is not 
merely war and strife, living and dying, self-seeking 
and materialism, but, on the contrary, an all-embracing 
co-operative society, and that her children one and 
all contribute to the common good. 
We cannot always see the part played by this 
one or that, but if we have steady eyes, a brave 
heart, and a well-balanced mind, we shall be convinced, 
beyond all possibility of doubt, that things always 
have worked, and always must work, together for good, 
good in the past, better to-day, and, in the future, 
perfection, that 
“One far-off divine event 
To which the whole creation moves.”’ 
