STRAIGHT SEEING AND THINKING 



revealing a vast realm of nature outside the realm 

 of science," is not one set to puzzling one's brain 

 as to how there can be any legitimate nature study 

 that will carry one beyond the realm of science? 

 Is there any subject-matter in the books thus pre- 

 faced that science cannot deal with ? And why does 

 the author aver with such emphasis that his facts 

 are all true and verifiable ? — just the test that 

 science demands. If it is all true and sound natural 

 history, what puts it outside the realm of science ? 

 If it is not true and real, why call it nature study? 

 Why not call it the gentle art of bearing false wit- 

 ness against the animals ? But this realm of nature 

 outside the realm of science — the realm of the 

 occult — is not open to observation, and is therefore 

 not a subject for nature study. The realm of science 

 embraces the whole visible, tangible, and intangible 

 universe. Is not that field enough for nature study ? 

 Can there be any other field ? What lies outside of 

 this is mere matter of speculation. 



The works of the writer referred to are outside 

 the realm of science only as every exaggeration and 

 falsification is outside that realm, or as Alice in 

 Wonderland and Jack and his beanstalk are out- 

 side. Such a course may make nature study more 

 attractive to certain credulous minds, but it can 

 hardly make it more vital, or add to our knowledge 

 of the world and its denizens by which we are 

 surrounded. 



115 



