304 NATURE STUDY. 



must also be determined by utilitarian considerations. 

 What knowledge will be most useful in other school- 

 work? What knowledge will form the best founda- 

 tion for later science work ? What knowledge will be 

 most useful in life? 



First. From what material will the children gain 

 the knowledge most helpful in other school-work? 



The relation of nature study to other school-work is 

 discussed in Chapters VI, XI, XII, and XIII, and need 

 only be treated briefly in this connection. 



We have already touched on the greater value of 

 the life sciences as a preparation for literature and art. 

 We will find a wealth of the best literature relating to 

 plants and animals, particularly to plants, but compara- 

 tively little relating to minerals or physics ; that is, to 

 mere matter and force. There is much on streams and 

 clouds and rain and frost and crystals ; but the poets 

 almost invariably treat these, not as mere matter and 

 force, but as endowed with purpose and thought and 

 other attributes of life. Lucy Larcom's " Rock and 

 Rill" (given in footnote 1 ) well illustrates this. 



i KOCK AND RILL. 



" Into the sunshine out of shade ! " 



The rill has heard the call, 

 And, babbling low, her answer made, 



A laugh, 'twixt slip and fall. 



Out from her cradle-roof of trees, 



Over the free, rough ground! 

 The peaceful blue above she sees; 



The cheerful ^reen around. 



