THE "WONDERS OF THE SHORE. 39 



herself: not merely with printed books ahout her. 

 Let no one think that this same natural history 

 is a pursuit fitted only for effeminate or pedantic 

 men. We should say rather, that the qualifi- 

 cations required for a perfect naturalist are as 

 many and as lofty as were required, by old. 

 chivalrous writers, for the perfect knight-errant 

 of the Middle Ages ; for (to sketch an ideal, of 

 which we are happy to say our race now afford? 

 many a fair realization) our perfect naturalist 

 should be strong in body ; able to haul a dredge, 

 climli a rock, turn a boulder, walk all day, un- 

 certain where he shall cat or rest ; ready to face 

 sun and rain, wind and frost, and to eat or drink 

 thankfully anything, however coarse or meagre ; 

 he should know liow to swim for his life, to pull 

 an oar, sail a boat, and ride the first horse which 

 comes to hand ; and, finally, he should be a 

 thoroughly good sliot, and a skifful fisherman ; 

 and, if he go far abroad, be able on occasion to 

 fight for liis fife. 



For liis moral character, lie must, like a 

 knight of old, be first of all gentle and courteous, 

 ready and abb; tn ingratiate himself with the 

 poor, the ignorant, and the savage ; not only be- 

 cause forci;jn travel will be often otliervviso im- 



