THE STUDY OF BIOLOGY. 15 



study of minerals and of the inorganic or non-living world at large ; 

 whilst it may also be shown to include the study of the planets, because, 

 as a history of nature, it is bound to take account of everything 

 whereof nature consists. To be a "Natural Historian " in this latter 

 sense would imply a man's knowledge of the whole universe. But 

 as human life, in one view at least, is conveniently short, and as 

 wisdom and knowledge are apt to linger long, the most ardent 

 devotees of science may reasonably shrink from laying claim to a 

 full or even moderate knowledge of "Natural History" as thus 

 defined. The " Admirable Crichton " in these days is an unknown 

 creature ; and although now and then a master-mind sweeps across 

 the horizon of knowledge although an occasional century may see 

 a Darwin or a Helmholtz with a profound knowledge of nature- 

 science in well-nigh all its branches still, the bounds of this wide 

 science of " Natural History," as we have defined it, threaten to 

 prove beyond the powers and grasp of any one mind amongst us. 



It will thus be seen that the correct use of the name " Natural 

 History " is that in which it is employed to mean a knowledge of 

 universal nature. This being so, what are the branches which this 

 great science may be said to include? I have already indicated 

 that geology and mineralogy, in addition to astronomy and natural 

 philosophy (or physics), find a natural place within its limits. 

 Chemistry is as truly a branch of natural history as geology, and 

 when we have placed these sciences in the category of the " Natural 

 Historian," there yet remains an important branch which in one 

 sense may be said to unite the others, and which concerns itself 

 with the living things of this world. 



The child in his elementary lessons is accustomed to speak of 

 the three kingdoms of nature. This division into animals, plants, 

 and minerals is a perfectly correct method of parcelling out 

 nature's belongings. Although possessing obvious relations with 

 the animals and plants, the sciences of chemistry, geology, and 

 mineralogy deal chiefly with the mineral, or lifeless, section of 

 nature, as does natural philosophy, and its offspring astronomy. 

 It becomes clear, then, that the interests of living things require 

 to be considered under a special department of natural science. 

 In former days, as we have seen, the "Natural Historian" was 

 the scientific guardian of the animal and plant interests. Abolish- 

 ing this phrase, what term, it may be inquired, do we now employ 

 to indicate the study of living beings? The answer to this ques- 

 tion may fitly conclude these introductory remarks. As Huxley 

 has shown in his lecture "On the Study of Biology," whilst the 

 name " Natural History " was used in the broad sense to include 

 all departments of natural knowledge up to the middle of the 

 seventeenth century, the growing specialisation of scientific studies 



