104 
NATURE NOTES 
best things, making life full of interest — giving peace of mind 
health of body, and innocence of heart. Moreover, if she brings 
little dowry, she saves great expenses — especially some which 
are among the most annoying — lawyers’ bills and doctors’ bills, 
for instance. 
“ There has recently been an animated discussion in the 
newspapers as to whether Greek should be a compulsory subject 
in university examinations — which is euphemistically termed 
‘ maintaining the Greek basis of education against the material 
tendencies of the present day.’ It is not we who wish to pit 
Greek Grammar against Nature-Study. Greek — even a little 
Greek — is very useful. But nothing was said about Science 
being a compulsory subject — which, alike from a practical and 
from an educational point of view, is even more important. 
Education without Science is incomplete and one-sided, and 
the greatest Classical scholar, if he know nothing of the world 
we live in, is but a half-educated man after all. 
“ To all those who love the country and appreciate the 
beauties of Nature, it is very pleasant to watch the growing 
demand for popular and elementary books on country life. The 
present tendency to flock into towns and cities is regrettable, both 
from the point of view of the character and health of our people ; 
and it is a constant surprise to the naturalist that any one in his 
senses should prefer the smoke, turmoil and noise of the streets 
by day, and the flare of gaslight, and still worse, of arc lights, 
by night, to the peace and pure air, the sunshine by day, 
and no less beautiful moonlight by night, which we may enjoy in 
the country. In towns there are theatres and music halls, but the 
country has the murmur of water, the ripple of the sea, and 
the music of the birds. Cities, no doubt, have museums, though 
it will hardly be alleged that to our rural population they are any 
attraction. Moreover, while museums are absolutely necessary 
for the study of science, and to those who can appreciate them, 
add much to the interest of existence, still every field and wood, 
every pond and lake, every river and seashore is itself a museum 
— not of skeletons and stuffed animals — but of living and, let us 
hope, of happy creatures. 
“ One way of bringing our people back to the soil, and carry- 
ing even those who live in the cities to the woods and fields 
whenever they have a holiday, is by bringing home to our 
countrymen and countrywomen — firstly, the beauty and interest 
of even our commonest animals and plants; and secondly, that 
it is much more interesting to watch than to kill them. 
“ The study of Nature is indeed as inexhaustible as it is 
interesting. There is not a single animal or plant the whole 
life-history of which is yet known to us; nor one which would 
not pay, repay, and over pay, 1 will not say merely the study 
of an hour, but the devotion of a lifetime. I do not say that 
observation is easy. The typical Nature-spirit — the dainty, 
delicate and delightful Ariel, was, we know, a tricksy spirit. 
