BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 95 



of admiration and some measure of thought ? " 

 These and every other wonder of Nature he loved 

 to study and become better acquainted with ; but 

 to no department in the wide and varied field of 

 Nature were his mind and heart more devotedly 

 given than to this of which we speak. Let us hear 

 his own words, quoted from the first pages of his 

 favourite treatise. He says : 



" If there be one branch of natural history 

 which is to me more captivatingly interesting than 

 another, it is entomology ; one, moreover, which 

 is so easy of full gratification, so productive of 

 friendly feeling with others, so amalgamative of the 

 high and low together in perfect amity, so singularly 

 pleasing and delightful in itself. I trust, indeed, that 

 I have not forgotten, do not forget, and never shall 

 forget that I have high and holy duties to perform, 

 to which all else must be subordinate and give way. 

 As a servant of the Church, a minister of the Gospel 

 of Christ, I willingly sacrifice natural wishes to the 

 cause of duty. It is but a few brief moments that 

 I snatch for that which is naturally most pleasing 

 to me. Knowing, however, that these studies are 

 innocent in themselves ; that they may, with many, 

 prevent other pursuits which, if followed, would 

 assuredly cause risk of most serious danger ; that 

 they add to the amount of human happiness ; and 

 that, if used as they always should be, they infallibly 

 lead from the works of Nature up to the God of 

 Nature, in feelings of the holiest admiration and 

 most humble worship, I encourage others to follow 



