10 



message; but as you talked only for amusement, it would have been 

 "wiser to have sought out as many sources of it as possible. But so it 

 is — one man walks through the world with his eyes open, and another 

 with them shut; and upon this difference depends all the superiority 

 of knowledge the one acquires above the other. I have known sailors, 

 who have been in all quarters of the world, and could tell you nothing. 

 * * * On the other hand, a Franklin could not cross the Channel 

 without making some observations useful to mankind. While many a 

 vacant, thoughtless youth is whirled throughout Europe without gain- 

 ing a single idea worth crossing a street for, the observing eye and 

 inquiring mind find matter of improvement and delight in every 

 ramble in town or country. Do you, then, William, continue to make 

 iise of your eyes; and you, Robert, learn that eyes were given you to 

 use." 



I hope that as Mr. Kingsley says, you will try to be ilr. Eyes all of 

 you, especially during the coming week, and that you will try to find 

 out all that you can about the birds that you see day by day. Xext 

 Saturday we will take our first field excursion and the s^ibject of our 

 study will be "Our Spring Birds." 



