146 Naturalists not “Made.” — [cu ap. VIII. 
and beautiful objects contained in Edward’s Collection 
—‘“the results of his own untiring efforts and ingenuity, 
without aid, and under discouraging circumstances which 
few would have successfully encountered..... Our young 
friends especially should visit the collection: it will both 
amuse and instruct them. They will learn more from see- 
ing them in half an hour than from reading about them in 
half a year.” 
Edward took the inhabitants by surprise. They Had nev- 
er been able to understand him. His wanderings by night 
had been matter of great wonderment to them. The ex- 
hibition fully explained the reason of his frequent disap- 
pearances. When his public announcement was advertised, 
some of the better classes called at his house in Wright’s 
Close, to ascertain if it was true. True, indeed! He point- 
ed to the cases of stuffed birds and animals which near- 
ly filled his house. Then the question came, “ What made 
you a naturalist ?” 
“When I was first asked this question,” says he, “I was 
completely dumfoundered! I-had no notion that a natu- 
ralist could be made. What! make a naturalist, as you 
would make a tradesman! I could not believe that people 
became naturalists for pecuniary motives. My answer to 
those who put the question invariably was, and still is, J can 
not tell. I never knew of any external circumstance that 
had any thing to do with engendering in my mind the nev- 
er-ceasing love which I entertained for the universal works 
of the Almighty ; so that the real cause must be looked for 
elsewhere.” 
In preparing for the exhibition of his collection, Edward 
brushed up his specimens and cleaned his cases, before re- 
moving them to the Trades’ Hall. But in looking over his 
collection, he found that he had sustained another serious 
loss. He regarded it at the time as a heart-rending catas- 
trophe. Some time before, he had put nearly two thousand 
dried and preserved plants into a box, which he had placed 
