Lord Avebury's Address 103 



conception of the world in which we Hve, it will be 

 time to begin specializing and concentrating his atten- 

 tion on a few subjects. 



I submit then that some study of Nature is an 

 essential part of a complete education; that just as 

 any higher education without mathematics and clas- 

 sics would be incomplete, so without some knowledge 

 of the world we live in, it is also one-sided and un- 

 satisfactory — a half-education only. 



In the study of natural history again we should 

 proceed from the general to the particular, — com- 

 mence with the characteristics in which animals and 

 plants agree, their general structure, and the neces- 

 sities of existence. Animals again agree together on 

 some points, as regards which they differ from plants. 



A general idea should then be given of the principal 

 divisions of the animal and vegetable kingdoms. In 

 many respects, though animals are perhaps more inter- 

 esting, plants present greater facilities for study. 

 They are easier to find, to handle, and to collect. 

 Specimens of the principal divisions can be more 

 readily obtained and examined: the structure also 

 can be more pleasantly demonstrated. Almost all 

 children are born with a love of natural history, and 

 of collecting. 



Far be it from me to underrate the pleasure and 

 interest of collecting. Such a collection as the pre- 

 sent is most useful. Indeed collections are in many 

 branches of nature-knowledge almost a necessary pre- 

 liminary to study. But a collection is a means to an 

 end, not an end in itself It is like a library, neces- 

 sary for study, but useless unless studied, — unless the 

 books are read. Moreover, we have all access to the 



