THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



surprise in their faces -when I have said to them, why, here right 

 before your eyes ai'e realms of investigation that the scientific world 

 longs to understand. Here on mountain height and in valley 

 lowliness, here on plain, in lake or flowing streamlet are organisms 

 of wdiose life history nothing is known. Here is a flora in many 

 respects special and peculiar, mostly named indeed by the indefatig- 

 able exertions of the Baron von Mueller, but of the properties of whi?h,' 

 economic and medicinal, little are known, in some cases entirely 

 unknown. Here is a fauna, much of which is unnamed, untraced, 

 new to science, and so of interest, and a fauna that plays a j)art in 

 the economy of nature, that has never at all been estimated. Part 

 of svhich if rightly j^reserved and used will add to the nation's 

 wealth, without cost of a single penny to any man, fighting our 

 battles for us, destroying our enemies, preserving the results of our 

 toil, and asking in return nothing save protection from the stupid 

 liand of ignorance. Another part, not friends, but foes, reaping 

 "where they have not sown, destroying the labour of skilled liamls, 

 sometimes so small that the unaided eye fails to detect them, and 

 knows their presence only by the ruins they have made. Others 

 istill more hurtful promoters or breeders of disease sure messengers 

 of death. To understand all this, to reveal it to others, to add 

 to scientific knowledge, and so to the sum of human progress and 

 happiness, the intelligent inhabitants of our country districts have 

 opportunities denied to us of city life. Ladies and gentlemen of 

 -our Clul), I want my plea for the study of natural science to be 

 lieard beyond our walls, and it will be no unworthy task for our 

 Club in the future toattempt in some way to incite those not in our 

 own immediate neigli!)Ourhood to form societies for the cultivation of 

 scientific studies. 



Doubtless the strifes of social and political- life have their 

 pleasures, and all are to be honoured who labour to lessen the weary 

 toil of others and promote tlie common good in the arena of jJ^^blic 

 life. But the pursuit of knowledge has its charms, and you will permit 

 me to close my address in the words of an old enemy, and yet when 

 I learned to master him, a friend of mine, wlio wrote so beautifully 

 and with such marvellous insight, de rerum natura (into the nature of 

 things) near a century before the Christian era. Pardon the Latin* 

 -and admire the English. 



'• How sweet, ah distance from the strife to view 



Conteiuliug hosts, and hear the clash of war ! 



But sweeter far on wisdom's height serene, 



Upheld bv truth to iix our firm abode ; 



To watch the giddy crowd that, deep below 



J'or ever wander in pursuit of bliss ; 



To mark the strife for honour, and renown, 



For wit and wealth, insatinte. ceaseless urged 



Day after day, with labour unrestrained"* 



Good's translation. 



