192 DECEMBER. 



of the insect world, who, after having spent the greater 

 part of their lives in collecting, are still human mile- 

 stones on the Entomological road, their only use being 

 to show in their own persons what Entomology was in 

 their day. But " Excelsior" a new school of Ento- 

 mology has sprung up ; men have begun to see that to 

 practice conservatism in science is, in fact, to stand 

 still, to become a human milestone for the liberals in 

 science to pass by. Science is social not solitary. The 

 man who considers himself able to prosecute success- 

 fully the science of Entomology by his own unaided 

 industry, however indefatigable and persevering he may 

 be, will find he has become the victim of a miserable 

 delusion. 



As entomological science is a social science, and 

 cannot successfully be prosecuted except under these 

 conditions of liberality, friendship and good-will, each 

 being willing, as far as in him lies, without fee or re- 

 ward exacted, to assist his " brother of the net and 

 pin/' how is it that there is so much ill-feeling and 

 want of charity among its votaries ? The reason is 

 obvious ignorance is at the bottom of it. I do not 

 mean to say unlearned or brutal ignorance, but mental 

 ignorance; that kind of ignorance that breeds sus- 

 picion, that makes you consider every man a rogue 

 until you find him honest clicqueism the ignorance 

 that has instituted guilds and other institutions sacred 

 to the middle ages, but which will not stand the full 

 blaze of noon-day the want of a liberal spirit, of a con- 

 viction, and a practical one too, that to reap knowledge 

 you must sow knowledge " cast thy bread upon the 

 waters and thou shalt find it after many days/' as are 

 thy actions so shall thy reward be, sooner or later. 



