Popular Science Lectures. 437 
covered by which to arrange them. Theories are 
necessary, otherwise there would be no order, but these 
never attain the position of dogmas. Every theory is a 
step by means of which a greater field of observation is 
attained ; the scientist does not despise the abandoned 
theory when he finds one better. Some curious particu- 
lars as to Museums of the " olden time" and some of 
the objects to be seen in them were then given, 
and some of the forms of what has been called col- 
lecting manias were described. The Bibliomaniac of 
old, collected books but never read them, the Biblio- 
phile of the present day prizes them for their con- 
tents. The Zoologist collects bird-skins, eggs, shells, 
butterflies &c. ; he has a very wide field, and his collec- 
tions are often very beautiful. The Botanist finds his 
specimens amidst the most lovely scenes, on rocks, 
mountains, and sea-shores, or growing in the crevices of 
ruined castles and abbeys. The Microscopist picks up 
some of his most beautiful living obje6ls from filthy- 
looking stagnant pools and ditches ; he above every other 
collector sees the operations of life through the trans- 
parent skins of the inhabitants of what to others is an 
unknown world. The Geologist picks up old stones and 
bones and finds out the wonderful story of the earth's 
past. The Archaeologist is omnivorous, nothing is paltry 
in his eyes, he goes hand-in-hand with other scientists 
trying to build up man's past history. The old idea of 
history is effete, the Archaeologist ushers in a new record, 
which may be wanting in dates, but is none the less history, 
even though it may be called prehistoric. One of the 
latest developments of the so-called mania is stamp- 
collecling ; at first sight it appears useless, but there is a 
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