HOUSE, GARDEN, AND FIELD 



I. INTRODUCTION. 



I HAVE received a good deal of advice from teachers and 

 others as to the kind of book on Nature Study that is 

 really wanted, and I will begin by explaining how it is 

 that I have found it undesirable to attempt exactly what 

 my friends expect. They expect, it would seem, ready- 

 made lessons on a variety of interesting and easy topics. 

 The teacher, they tell me, has neither the time nor the 

 knowledge to prepare lessons of his own. Since lessons 

 on Nature Study are demanded, they must be drawn up 

 for him, and put into his hands complete. It is quite 

 true, I sorrowfully admit, that many teachers have no 

 time for study. That is almost the same thing as ad- 

 mitting that they have not time to teach well, for it is 

 only those who are always increasing their own knowledge 

 who can hope to become inspiring teachers. Knowledge, 

 to be stimulating, must be kept alive by personal effort ; 

 it cannot be acquired once for all. 



This is true, I believe, of all teaching, but it is especially 

 true of Nature Study. For the primary aim of Nature 

 Study is to set up the habit of observation, and to keep 

 alive that love of nature which shows itself in most un- 

 spoilt human beings. If the teacher does all the observa- 

 tion himself, his pupils are defrauded of their fair share, 

 though they may possibly catch something from him of 

 the spirit of inquiry. But if the teacher too gets all his 

 knowledge without effort, then the so-called Nature Study 



A 



