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lectors of the grade alluded to. It is true that some few of the 

 defaulters might, in after years, have been worthy of the name 

 of entomologist, and it is legitimate to hope that where the germ of 

 a true love of the Science existed it may yet bear fruit ; but I confess 

 that a science which, like Entomology, must be cultivated for its own 

 sake, has in this country but si*all prospect of numerous adherents. 

 In England so large a proportion of the population is brought up 

 under the Upas-like shade of the business-tree, and is taught practi- 

 cally, if not theoretically, to regard as scarcely worth attention every- 

 thing that does not " pay," that it is only here and there that we can 

 point to a man who loves Science for itself and finds his reward in its 

 cultivation. Even when a man would devote some attention to 

 science, the deadly struggle, not only for existence but for wealth, in 

 which he finds himself involved, abstracts so much of his life, that 

 only fragments of time can be rescued for intellectual work, and 

 he can do little more than observe what has been done by others. 

 In the upper and wealthier classes it is rare to find an individual who 

 cultivates pure science, or works at it in such a way as to make his 

 mark on the page of his era ; there are noble exceptions, but few of 

 them are entomologists. Either from want of natural bias, from 

 deficiency in our educational systems, or from absolute want of time, 

 the tone of our age with regard to all science which does not present 

 material advantages is not philosophic, and so in other branches 

 of non-productive natural science besides Entomology there is a 

 want of students. 



Notwithstanding these drawbacks there are yet some, in different 

 stations of life, who manage to give more or less time to Entomology, 

 and great would be the advantages to themselves and science if the 

 younger men at least were awake to the dignity of its philosophy ; if 

 they would seek to penetrate beneath the surface of the subject under 

 notice, and endeavour to behold the majesty of the divinity that 

 dwells in the midst of the mysteries before them. But for this thei'e 

 must exist the pure and ardent desire to know, — the first requisite of 

 a worshipper of Nature, — and a perseverance in watching in silence and 

 seclusion until the goddess reveals herself. At this feast of reason no 

 one need wait as a beggar for the crumbs broken off" by others that 

 fall from the table, but each guest is expected and invited to reach 

 forth his hand and help himself The domain to be explored is 



" Boundless, endless and sublime ; " 



