32 THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



whether it is the right thing to do, and it is not until that 

 question is settled that it becomes right to throw your whole 

 heart into it. Now the immediate application of this is 

 this : You are going head over heels into the study of Natural 

 History, and you are making collections as fast as you can. 

 Now it won't take you long to decide that Natural History is a 

 very right and proper thing for you to take up, and therefore 

 you may study it with all your might, and, I doubt not, to the 

 praise and glory of God ; but be very careful about the col- 

 lecting part of the business. Don't let your zeal carry you too 

 far. Don't let collecting be your sole aim and object, or 

 you will become very low types of naturalists. Let it be only 

 secondary and subservient to observation. Let your aim be 

 to preserve rather than to destroy. Remember that God gave 

 life to His creatures that they might enjoy it, as well as fulfil 

 their missions and propagate their species. Therefore if you 

 come across a rare bird, do not kill it unnecessarily ; if you 

 can observe its living motions it will interest you more and do 

 you more good than will the possession of its stuffed body 

 when dead." 



" I quite understand what you mean, sir," replied Frank ; 

 " and it is only what my father has often told me before. We 

 will try to follow our pursuits in moderation." 



" Just so ; then, as you have heard me so patiently, I will 

 trouble you with another application of my sermon. Do what 

 you are doing well. Don't let your observation be too cursory. 

 Don't be Jacks of all 'trades and masters of none. This 

 district is teeming with bird, insect, and animal life. You boys 

 have peculiar opportunities for learning and discovering all 

 that is rare and interesting. You are sharp, young, and active, 

 and nothing can escape you. Now is the time for you to store 

 up facts which will always be valuable. Buy yourselves note- 

 books ; put down everything in writing which seems to you to 

 be strange and noteworthy, and don't trust to your memories. 

 But above all, take up some one branch of study and stick to 

 it. It is well for you to know a little of everything, but it is 

 better for you to know a great deal of one thing. Therefore I 

 should advise each of you to take up a line that suits him and 

 to pay particular attention to it. Thus you, Frank, may take 

 up Ornithology ; you, Dick, should go in for Entomology ; and 

 Jimmy, why should you not take up Botany ? " , 



