THE SUBSTITUTE; 
Or, Entomological Exchange Facilitator, and 
Entomologist’s Fire-side Companion. 
No. 18.] SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1857. [Price 2d. 
SILENT LOVE. 
The ‘Entomologist’s Annual’ for 
the present year contains an article 
entitled “ Is Entomology progress- 
ing,” in which is given a list of 
the contributors to the ‘Trans- 
actions of the Entomological So- 
ciety’ for ten years, ending with 
1855 : and an analysis showing 
that the number of writers is in- 
creasing, and hence it is deduced 
that although the increase is small 
yet Entomology is progressing. 
We do not wish to controvert this 
position, we agree with the de- 
duction, but at tbe same time we 
think the case is made to appear 
worse than it really is, because the 
publication in question does not 
< contain the writings of all our en- 
I tomological authors. There are 
several first-rate entomologists who 
have never contributed a line to 
the Entomological Society, and 
( others who have given it very few 
] papers, — why, we do not slop to 
( enquire, — but who, nevertheless, 
I have published valuable memoirs 
I through other channels. It might 
be deemed invidious if we men- 
tioned names, but so the fact is. 
Still it is undeniable that there 
are many men who have excellent 
practical knowledge of species who 
never write a word for publica- 
tion : they have a silent love of 
their subject, and its science too 
very often, and yet their know- 
ledge is not imparted to any but 
the select circle of their intimate 
acquaintance, through which a 
little of it, though changed and 
attenuated, may ultimately chance 
to find its way into print. And 
yet this knowledge of species, not 
derived from books but from the 
things themselves, is the best of 
all kno'wledge, because it is that 
upon which all other must be 
built. Now and then one of these 
silent lovers speaks out, and every 
one is surprised at the extent of 
his information, and wonders why 
he kept silent so long. This sort 
of reticence may arise in part from 
the natural modesty of the man, 
in part from the fear of not doing 
the thing completely, which we 
know haunts some — very need- 
lessly we think, for no work in 
Natural History can ever be com- 
plete,— and in part from the fear 
T 
