NEW LIFE IN OLD SUBJECTS 175 
details and superficial methods are ever out of place, they are 
peculiarly foreign to the first steps of science. 
The naturalist, with the vast resources of the world spread 
out before him, may properly scorn the need of having at 
his tongue’s end an explanation of every phenomenon of the 
universe. He often finds satisfaction in saying with a royal 
air that he does not know. This is far from being the usual 
attitude of the teacher ; it is more like that of the rural peddler 
who, till he knows his countryside, cannot possibly carry in his 
pack half of what his customers demand, but who, if once 
he gets a chance to spread out his wares, can show that he 
is anything but a fraud or a failure ; every one then begins to 
wonder how in one small space he can have packed away a 
stock so admirable and so well arranged. Could any one in 
his place do better } Then with true cleverness he sees to it 
that on the next round he is fully equipped. 
It is apt to be just the opposite, however, with the nature- 
study teacher. A slave to tradition, he feels in a measure 
bound to pose as infallible. So, regardless of what is wanted 
by his students, he makes it his business to lug about with 
him as many facts as possible, forcing them upon his pupils 
at every provocation. That is really why in so many instances 
nature study has proved either very " thin ” or very unpopular. 
Suppose, on the other hand, he is sustained by the belief that 
he can keep his self-respect, even though he may not carry 
every trifle about with him, the true teacher is spurred to do 
his best in supplying real needs; and he will have the wit to 
replenish his pack of knowledge, on request, to everybody’s 
satisfaction, and be in the meanwhile as merry as the peddler. 
The words " scientific research ” and " scientific method ” 
may seem pompous terms to use in educating youngsters ; they 
certainly will so appear to any one who associates the phrases 
with nothing less intricate than a compound microscope. But 
