134 First Conference 



studies in other subjects, e.g. in physical geography, 

 where the pupil learns how ''the seasons" come about, 

 or to studies in folk-lore and poesy, which are satu- 

 rated with seasonal influence. And I am not ashamed 

 to say that I attach some importance to the fact that 

 the games of the children are in some measure sea- 

 sonally conditioned. 



I have presupposed — and it is still a big postulate 

 — that the studies I have just hinted at must be very 

 objective, and that they must be socratic or heuristic 

 rather than directly informative. But there is at least 

 one other great desideratum — that they be vital, and 

 to be vital they must be more or less seasonal. 



My general conclusion is, that lessons in natural 

 history — which means lessons in the beautiful, the 

 marvellous, the dramatic, lessons as to growth and 

 progress, as to industry and struggle, as to loving 

 and living — will, if taught by one who knows, up to 

 the limit of his or her teaching, and is unafraid to 

 confess ignorance, who has also a healthy reverence 

 both for the known and the unknown, cannot but be 

 an educational discipline of the highest value. But 

 this value will have its virtue enhanced when the 

 teacher is one who has and can communicate what 

 Meredith calls " a love, exceeding a simple love, of 

 things that glide in rushes and rubble of woody 

 wreck ". 



I cannot sit down without saying that I have been 

 greatly delighted and encouraged by what I have 

 seen in this exhibition, or without expressing, if I 

 may be allowed to do so, my congratulations to the 

 secretary and the executive, on the success, both actual 

 and prospective, of their admirable undertaking. 



