240 Timehri. 
his retorts were often humorous, sometimes hardly what we should now 
consider courteous. At the same time, it was no doubt galling to have 
his work criticised by people who knew nothing of the life-history of 
animals. A century ago literary men like Oliver Goldsmith compiled 
what were called Natural Histories at the request of booksellers; these 
were compilations from any and every source, often jumbles of refuted 
errors. Sydney Smith was one of this class, no doubt a good writer on 
subjects within his knowledge. Yet, his review of the ‘“ Wanderings ” 
an example of ignorance. Now-a-days such a book would be generally 
reviewed by a naturalist. No doubt Sydney Smith was clever with his 
pen when he wrote :— 
“How far does the gentle reader imagine the campanero may be heard, 
whose size is that of a jay? Perhaps 300 yards. Poor innocent, ignorant 
reader! unconscious of what Nature has done in the forests of Cayenne, 
and measuring the force of tropical intonation by the sounds of a Seotch 
duck ! The campanero may be heard three miles !—this single little bird 
being more powerful than the belfry of a cathedral.” 
* % Pay et % * % % % * * 2 *% 
“The Yorkshire gentlemen have long been famous for their equestrian 
skill ; but Mr. Waterton is the first among them of whom it could be said 
that he has a fine hand upon a crocodile.” 
The cayman incident was continually misrepresented. In one of his 
letters Waterton said ‘‘I wondered much that he (a writer in Fraser's 
Magazine) should have invented such a silly tale as that of my riding 
on a cayman across the Orinoquo.” 
The following extracts from his letters show his opinion of the closet 
naturalist :— 
“Our English naturalists will swallow anything.” 
* You and I have it fully in our power to dress over those who defile the 
science by their pedantry, ignorance and lies.” 
In a letter to Professor Jameson he said :— 
“Tf the contents of this letter should sting you, pray reflect, sir, that 
you deserve to smart a little for your wanton imprudence in holding up to 
public animadversion the conduct of a gentleman who has never used you 
unkindly either by word or deed. You are a_regius professor with above 
forty titles after your name ; I—am a private individual, scarcely known, 
whose care it is through life never to be the aggressor, but who will 
always resist to the utmost any attack made upon him, come from what 
quarter it may.” 
The wonders of Guiana have not been lessened because we have 
got rid of a lot of fancies. The real is even more striking and beautiful. 
The sloths, monkeys and snakes have lost nothing by stripping off their 
mythical coats. The red howler is still heard in the forest although we 
do not credit him with holding conferences or preaching in the wilderness. 
