General Aims of Nature Study 45 



imagination to that higher plane on which it becomes 

 useful in the acquisition of real knowledge, and in 

 the appreciation of the best works of art. For in its 

 final analysis real knowledge must underlie genuine 

 appreciation, whether in nature or in art. 



That lawless cerebration, often mistaken for imag- 

 ination, which results in a crude juxtaposition of 

 incongruous facts and ideas, or a blending of fact 

 and fiction, and which is so prevalent among children 

 and untrained minds generally, needs to be restrained 

 by the teacher of nature study. The child should be 

 put on his guard against confusing fact and fiction, 

 against using his imagination instead of his senses. 

 Even the higher imagination must be subject to the 

 control of the more sober reason. It is precisely here, 

 in the development of a sound discrimination, between 

 fact and fiction, that the supreme value of scientific 

 training lies. Development, in the individual as in 

 the race, must include a transition from that lawless 

 cerebral activity called fantasy, revery, hallucination, 

 on the threshold of insanity, into that state of well- 

 regulated mental activity which gives reality to life, 

 and value to the products of the mind. 



The pupil should be taught to correct the errors 

 which his fickle fancy suggests, by careful application 

 of the safest and surest test at his command, the testi- 

 mony of his senses. What do I really see? should 

 be a question arising spontaneously in the mind when 

 startling and dubious results are gained. 



V. The ^Esthetic and Ethical Function of Nature 

 Study. 



The Beautiful in Nature Study. Nature teems 

 with beautiful things. Art is nature idealized. It 

 derives its inspiration from nature, and seeks to imi- 

 tate it in its idealized form. Normal development 

 would require that each human being should be able 



