II 



NATURE LORE 



EMERSON in his Journal says, "All facts in 

 nature interest us because they are deep and 

 not accidental." Facts of nature are undoubtedly 

 of interest to most persons, though whether or not 

 Emerson gives the true reason may be questioned. 

 I would sooner venture the explanation that it is 

 because nature is a sort of outlying province of 

 ourselves. We feel a kinship with her works, and in 

 bird and beast, in tree and flower, we behold the 

 workings of the same life principle that has brought 

 us where we are and relates us t6 all living things. 

 Explain the matter as we may, the facts and do- 

 ings of nature interest us, and our interest is bound 

 to grow as we enlarge our acquaintance with them, 

 — which is about like saying that our interest keeps 

 pace with our interest. But so it is. Water does not 

 taste good to us until we are thirsty. Before we ask 

 questions we must have questions to ask, and be- 

 fore we have questions to ask we must feel an awak- 

 ened interest or curiosity. Action and reaction go 

 hand in hand; interest begets interest; knowledge 

 breeds knowledge. Once started in pursuit of nature 

 lore, we are pretty sure to keep! on. When people 

 ask me, "How shall we teach our children to love 

 27 



