Correspondents and Critics. 305 



men ; a thousand things occur that are in the 

 line of unusual occurrence, but not so unusual 

 as some would have us believe. It is but an 

 exhibition of ignorance to call anything not in 

 the line of supposed habits an "accidental oc- 

 currence," and so of no significance. How do 

 these offensively bumptious professionals know 

 that it is "accidental"? Have they been for 

 years so much abroad, or does every "acci- 

 dental occurrence" flatly contradict the known 

 course of any creature's life? The amateur 

 will ever do himself a service in turning a deaf 

 ear to these snap judgments of professionals. 

 Every unusual happening is an added fact for 

 the amateur of which he can make good use. 

 The amateur can be happy, and wisely so, with 

 his few facts or many as the case may be ; but 

 no professional, be he ever so wise, but has yet 

 something more to learn. His will not be a 

 well-rounded and worthy career until he learns 

 to look with respect upon amateurs and what 

 they know and do, for all too likely are the 

 chances that from them his incomplete pro- 

 fessional knowledge might receive a few finish- 

 ing touches that lacking, leaves him, at last, 



