144 THE NATURE-STUDY IDEA 



boy's heart. Fill yourself full of some subject, 

 however small it may be. When you cannot hold 

 it longer, teach. Yes, you may make mistakes. 

 But every one makes mistakes, even with the best 

 of pains. Every person who, by teaching or writ- 

 ing, has helped the world to a higher plane, has 

 said or written errors. Our books contain them. 

 Every person, and particularly every teacher, 

 should make all effort to be accurate ; but if we 

 wait till every possibility of error is removed, the 

 world's work will never be done. Many a man 

 sacrifices his chances of usefulness for fear of 

 making a mistake. Many investigators are so 

 intent on the accuracy of mere details that they 

 overlook the value of enthusiasm and point of 

 view. 



The best way to get the knowledge is to work 

 for a time with a good teacher ; but be sure that 

 this teacher has enthusiasm and human sympathy 

 as well as knowledge. Read books and leaflets. 

 Above all, go into the fields and study the objects 

 themselves. Do not wait until you are thoroughly 

 equipped before you begin to teach, else you will 

 never begin. When you have begun and your 

 pupils begin to press for answers, you will learn. 

 When you discover that you have made an error, 

 admit it and acknowledge it. The pupil will 

 respect you. Honesty always wins respect. 



It is not necessary that you become a scientist 

 in order to teach nature-study. You simply go 

 as far as you know, and then say to the pupil that 

 you cannot answer the questions which you can- 



