Annual Presidential Address. 371 



Between all scientists there is a close bond All seek 

 the truth for truth's sake. T<> all this is the one — the 

 only finality. Everything else is subordinate al the best. 



But the naturalist, in the sense that has attached to 

 the word for centuries, is more closely allied to the poet 

 and the artist than is commonly supposed. A poet <>r an 

 artist who finds no delight in nature is not genuine — 

 he does not deserve the name. 



Those poets who have most readily found access to the 

 hearts of men in all ages have been naturalists — not, it 

 may be, technically, hut really. Those who have delighted 

 in mountain, wood, river, sky, insect, bird, the workings of 

 the wondrous soul of man — these are the real naturalists. 

 Now, may a man not work on all these in a dry and 

 formal way. getting results of a certain value, but without 

 the spirit of the naturalist ? And may not a man of 

 limited opportunities observe with the acuteness of ken 

 and the glow of feeling that is tin* very soul of the soul of 

 the poet <>r the painter ' 



Landseer portrayed animals well because with the tech- 

 nical skill and the talent for form and color he united the 

 sympathetic loveof his fellows lower in the scale of being. 



The naturalist is a man of truth through and through. 

 He is equally a being of simplicity of nature. Questions 

 of rank and precedence and power among his fellows 

 trouble him not. The "boss" is as far from the 

 naturalist in spirit as can well be conceived. Men of the 

 latter type cannot he made into naturalists by the bestow- 

 ment of ordinary or honorary memberships in societies, or 

 by any offices they may attempl to fill. It is not given to 

 them to sec the beauties in nature that fascinate or t<» feel 

 the pulses that tin-ill. He who would he a naturalist in 



spirit must, like he who would enter into the Kingdom of 



Heaven, ln-come as a little child. 



Indeed, between the qualities of the true Christian, the 

 real gentleman in heart and the naturalist there is nnieli 



