20 TWO CLASSES OF READERS. 



siasm of over zealous students, than that of marine 

 zoology. 



There are two classes of readers, different in al- 

 most all other respects, whose sympathies are united 

 in dislike of such works as this. The one, repre- 

 sented by men distinguished for their powers of 

 original research, are apt to undervalue the labours 

 of such as are not, strictly speaking, scientific writers. 

 There is another class who, from the prejudice of 

 ignorance, look upon marine zoology as too trivial, 

 from the homeliness and minuteness of its details. 

 The wonders of astronomy, and the speculations 

 suggested by geological studies, nay, the laws of 

 organization as exhibited in the higher forms of 

 animal life, are clear enough to this class of readers; 

 but it is not easy to convince them that design can 

 be extracted from a mussel, or that a jelly-fish ex- 

 hibits a marvellous power of construction. 



Now, in my belief, the opposition -of the better 

 educated of these two classes of readers is the more 

 dangerous, as it is unquestionably the more ungene- 

 rous. If Professor Ansted, when treating of the 

 surprising neglect of geology, could thus express him- 

 self ' How many people do we meet, otherwise 

 well educated, who look with indifference, or even 

 contempt on this branch of knowledge,' how much 

 oftener may the student of the humble theme of 

 marine zoology bewail the systematic depreciation of 

 persons even laying claim to general scientific ac- 



