11 



atural Histolf at least the practical benefits derivable fnini tbcir study can iiev(>r be 

 ist be pursii'uUy obtained, simply througli th(> aL,aMicy ol' pictorial illiistrations, no 

 lal and tangibaajtter liow ably thes(> latter may be sup[)lciiif>nted by verbal evplana- 

 ced. ions. The student must be t<iii'_;],t to tcf.rJi ]ir,m,if\ to see. 1(>el and 



port ion of inandle for himself, to pull to pieces, if necessary, in order that, by cum- 

 Inseums, moarison, he may bo able to reconslriici in his mind the original fabric. 

 and the nec; It is this princijde of coniparison which nnilly lies al the root of all 



possession, latural studies, and which gives to Ihcm their highest iuten'st: as well 

 ling is correis their great educational value. il is by tliis means that the mind is 

 dd be propesraiued not ouly to obstM-vo but to gcuerali/e. to rise from the com em- 

 Id be emploplati on of mere detail to the grandeur of great principles. But. as 1 



Xow Xatiinave said, it is only by familiarity with nature herself that we can hop(5 

 onal study, acoiuulerstand her laws. "1 have sfitisHcd mysflf long ago" says 



never so ^Agassiz, "that the great and elementary priiiciples of otr science are 

 The mindDettor undersiood when illustrated from Xature than when ex])lained in a 



contemplatidiore abstract manner. In this way each student is. as it were, led t:) 

 e ideas, whigo himself over the roau through which science has passed i:i its onward 

 lasting impi'prbgress : a id f;ir from protracting his course^, he soon finds that hf \-\ 

 I any where elorought witliout pream! le into the very sanctuary of scienc"." 

 ry Museums There is yet another liirli! in which this subject nitiy b;- viewed. The 

 part from tlitTniversity is or shoull lie tlie h<>ad of the educati.injl system of th(? 

 •ollection of iProviuce, and as tlu^ students of the diffenmt scho(ds Itok forward to 

 igerie, desigii'ier as affording the final goal of their educii.tional career, so the Fiiivtn'- 

 lely for the piity should in turn endea\()r to reflect back something of her influence 

 case where siiipon those schools themselves, gradually e]e\aii;ig their stan(hird. and 

 stitutions, ori^hus rendering their sch. lars better fitted to profit by iheir university 

 llectual progr?oui'se, \yhen they shall have become the direct students of thf latter. 

 iy this cannot i-^his is alr<-ady being done and to an important extent, by our graduates, 

 ch are emplowho, as you are aware, are now tilling as teachers positions of the 

 idents especi:^reatest importance and responsibility in ditfereni jiortions of the Pro- 

 y may find snince. Hut this may also be done in another way. Among th(^ subjects 

 ^vork, nay wlifaught in these schools, and introduciHl, T ]ielie\e, among the recent im- 

 3, plants or iiiprovements in our general school system, is tlie t(>aching of botany and 

 and 80 arraiu^ome other branches of natural history. Iiy means of el(>mentary texl>- 

 •rms from otbooks. This is very well so far as it goes, but. as I ha\o said, mero 

 'idlv understi text-books in such subjects are not sufllcient. The interest which sel- 

 isiioii by the Mu-^o^ fails to be excited in the minds of the young by descriptions or 

 d"soTncimURwf^^ "^' ^'''" ^^'-'i^l^rs which everywhere surround thein, is ono 



Fmtiieraiici' of it-^v^rhicli can o/ilv b(^ Cullv Satisfied bv sotne actual knowded<re and real vis- 



