350 Mr. W. Arnold Lewis on 
posed (and I am reduced to believing that it is supposed) , 
that entomology is a subject by itself, im which it is 
easy to be a great man, it is necessary to say that 
such a creed is a mistake. It may be the case that a 
writer of pre-eminent position, who has earned universal 
respect on a special subject, is allowed to transgress the 
ordinary rules, and his opinions alone carry weight with- 
out the reasons for them being stated. But there is 
certainly no living entomologist who stands in this posi- 
tion towards his fellow-students, and I am strongly inclined 
to believe that of all the sciences, this very one of ours 
is the one among whose votaries there is the greatest 
evenness of knowledge, and capacity for judgment, ceteris 
paribus, the men being matched in other respects. I 
have long entertained the opinion, that entomology is a 
science in which any student can obtain considerable 
proficiency, and that authors who treat of it ought to 
unbend to their readers, because their readers are often 
as clever as themselves. To publish conclusions without 
reasons, is not only not to unbend, but is a highly self- 
sufficient action; and in any other walk of literature 
would augur an exaggerated self-esteem and consider- 
able disregard of other persons’ judgment. 
A good scientific book, then, I humbly contend, should 
state all the reasons for every opinion advanced, or 
scheme propounded, and should quote and discuss pre- 
vious authorities bearing on the subject in hand. In 
fact, the book should submit everything,—reasons, autho- 
rities, conclusions—to the judgment of the reader. 
First of all, is it an author’s duty to absolve himself 
from the suspicion of chicanery. I candidly confess, the 
very first idea which crosses my mind when I take up a 
hst or catalogue whose contents are not supported by 
reasons (published either in the book or elsewhere), is ; 
to what extent is the writer of this a quack ? 
Mr. Doubleday and Dr. Knages treat me no better 
than does the dealer, at whose shop I may purchase to- 
morrow a little book professing to contain ‘ Gardner’s 
Arrangement.” JI have procured a copy of this publica- 
tion, and I can assure the Society that it alters the order 
of the species, chops and changes the genera, and in all 
things enacts to the life the part of a thorough-bred 
“list.” It is supported by no reasons of any sort, of 
course, but it is no worse in this than are the others. 
