General Methods 73 



How the robin feeds her young, 

 How the oriole's nest is hung; 

 Where the whitest lilies blow, 

 Where the freshest berries grow, 

 Where the ground-nut trails its vine, 

 Where the wood-grape's clusters shine; 

 Of the black wasp's cunning way, 

 Mason of his walls of clay, 

 And the architectural plans 

 Of gray hornet artisans ! 

 For, eschewing books and tasks, 

 Nature answers all he asks; 

 Hand in hand with her he walks, 

 Part and parcel of her joy, 

 Blessings on the barefoot boy. 



2. THE INVESTIGATION METHOD differs from the 

 preceding in that something^ definite is looked for or 

 sought. It requires the exercise of the will and there- 

 fore is work. There is in the mind a hypothesis, or a 

 question, that needs solution or confirmation; just as 

 in algebra the problem often is to find the value of x. 

 A general idea, a general question is, therefore, the 

 underlying motive; and this guides and directs activi- 

 ties, making them systematic, for the accomplishment 

 of an end in view. 



The race may be said to have entered on the scientific 

 stage of its development when it began to use this 

 method of studying nature. So the individual may 

 be said to pass from the primitive condition of the 

 child, the amateur, and the dilettante, to the working 

 scientist when he adopts this method. 



It differs from the preceding discovery method in 

 substituting the law of necessity for the law of liberty; 

 reason for caprice; the hypothesis for curiosity; in- 

 tellectual pleasure for sentimentality; and the will for 

 listlessness. It means a body directed by the mind, 

 and work performed under the influence of the will. 

 It differs from the preceding method, therefore, in 

 (a) the motive to exertion, (6) in its orderly pro- 



