BOOK NOTICES AND REVIEWS. 



Martin Lister, M.D., F.R.S., by Rd. W. Goulding, Louth. 



Architectural and Arcli,-eoloi;ical Society of the Counties of Lincohi and 

 Nottingham. Report for 1900. Reprint, Svo. , pp. 42. 



Here, indeed lies ' i^ood stuff in little room.' Mr. Goulding- 

 has done a real service to Natural Science by his masterly 

 memoir of one of Lincoln and Yorks' most justly venerated 

 pioneers in the study of tlie Fields. This packed brochure 

 makes delig^htful reading- by virtue not only of its author's 

 skilled style — pen and way of using- it, both — but in the copious 

 extracts from Dr. Lister's neat and naiVe Correspondence about 

 ' simpling- ' and 'snailing-. ' 



This affords a worthy, and, for its compass a fully-lined 

 etching- — a g-raving- that preserves for us, with the true art that 

 conceals the machinery, a picture of the personality of one of 

 those (rare) men with the true scientific flair, who make us 

 marvel ' how in the world ' they accomplish so much and so 

 accurately with such few advantages and poor tools ! The 

 Darwin of his Day, Martin Lister laid the un-overturned 

 foundation of both zoolog-ical and botanical columns of classi- 

 fication. For a pre-Linnean (writing- down his observations 

 before the binomial System had birth in a book), he was, 

 indeed, as Mr. Wallis Kew (quoted) says : — ' One of the most 

 notable zoolog-ists this country has ever produced.' Now, how 

 was this? He recognised that the truth — \.\\q. facts about Nature 

 in all departments of research must precede all Inference and 

 Deduction: all fanciful speculation is 'vain.' I do not know 

 when I have had the pleasure to read such an entertaining, 

 informative multum-in-parvo ! Even on the Philologic side there 

 is a savoury smack in most of the old-time words and phrases 

 used by Lister and his letter-writers. ' I will compliment the 

 Royal Society with your [Thoresby's] correspondence ' — how 

 fine the flattery ! — and again, ' I went out a simpling,' — and yet 

 again, ' I have only one left [a Pill !] and am very nice to use it 

 lest I should have none when I have greater occasion ' — ' a 

 competent state of health ' — and many more, for which who 

 wish a Treat must %o to the truffled dish themselves. I have 

 only indicated some of its salient constituents. 



Yet room for a sprig of balm — sweet herb of feeling, must 

 be found. One of Dr. Lister's love-letters to his wife, beginning 

 ' My deare Hart ' is as redolent of hearty affection as a sachet 

 of woodruffe in the linen chest is sweet after long years. ' My 

 poor Deer Hart, be merry, make mad of thy selfe & barnes, 



1903 January 3. 



