What is Nature-Study? 1 1 



the work to have been a failure, however large 

 the figures might be. 



The seed has been planted, and it has germi- 

 nated. The evolution of a new intention in 

 education is under way and is beginning to be 

 felt. The principles have been stated; the cur- 

 rent discussions are of methods, difficulties, and 

 of local and personal adaptations. 



We are to open the child's mind to his natural 

 existence, develop his sense of responsibility and 

 of self-dependence, train him to respect the 

 resources of the earth, teach him the obligations 

 of citizenship, interest him sympathetically in 

 the occupations of men, quicken his relations to 

 human life in general, and touch his imagination 

 with the spiritual forces of the world. 



If life is worth living it must be invigorated, 

 and there is no invigoration without enthusiasm 

 and spirit. We must all have practice in the 

 common affairs of life; but practice alone is 

 dead, and worse than dead. If we cannot add 

 the spirit and the true sentiment to life, then 

 there is no interest in living excepting for that 

 which is gross. It is better to have a thread of 



