Xxil INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



of Nature. Not a little has honest Izaak Wal- 

 ton contributed to spread his own love of quiet 

 haunts and streams, his own tranquil and bene- 

 volent piety. And to our Naturalists, what do 

 we not owe ! Every one of them who assists 

 to turn the attention of our youth to subjects 

 which must lead them out to the country, be 

 he but the merest plodder, the merest arranger 

 of other men's knowledge, the merest cata- 

 loguer of names, does a good service: but such 

 men as Gilbert White, Bewick, Evelyn, etc. 

 who explore with enthusiastic and indefatigable 

 delight every natural haunt, and cast round 

 their labours the beaming halo of genius, at- 

 tracting thousands to the objects of their ad- 

 miration, must be classed amongst the greatest 

 benefactors of the human race. 



It is with unspeakable delight that I behold 

 every branch of Natural History, now prose- 

 cuted amongst us with the keenest ardour and 

 success ; and that the many able minds engaged 

 in it are becoming more and more aware that 

 their favourite pursuits have a far higher claim 

 to regard than even the direct knowledge which 

 they bring, and the personal delight they afford ; 

 that they invigorate both mind and body, tran- 

 quillize the passions, and elevate the heart above 

 all worldliness. The present tone of such works 

 is admirable and animating. 



