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ON THE VALUE OF PLATES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 
representations of these living objects come next in attraction to the objects 
themselves, and description is the last and most remote enjoyment of all. If 
this be so, as in fact it is, I ask again, who is to tell the result of u enticing” a 
previously uninformed person unfamiliar with the country, with a book of 
engravings illustrative of birds, insects, or plants ? The very circumstance may 
call forth the development of those “perceptive faculties” which before were 
unawakened. I am sure I can recall the sight of coloured prints of birds, seen 
when a schoolboy by mere stealth and accident, with unmixed delight; and 
general experience, I doubt not, will at least give a verdict here in my favour. 
But probably Mr. Rylands will admit all this—he will allow the uninitiated 
plates and drawings;—he will permit them as an amusement and an enticement 
—but the moment they become really usefid —I might add indispensable —he 
strangely puts his ban upon their employment, and withdraws them altogether ! 
I really am unable to perceive the justice or propriety of this; and to use for a 
moment the simile Mr. R. has employed, however delightful it may be occasionally 
to trudge over hill and dale in the wild fervour of delight, insensible to weariness, 
yet when time presses, the roads are muddy, and the skies lower, who that has 
a “ last shilling” in his pocket, but will wisely get a lift by a passing coach if he 
can ? This may be getting over the ground rather empirically, but it certainly 
gives a rest to the understanding! 
But very probably Mr. Rylands and myself are contemplating two descrip¬ 
tions of characters. Mr. R. seems to have in view the mere collector, who from 
a love of rare or curious forms, does all in his power to amass a collection, and 
never tries by his own industry to obtain a systematic knowledge in any way. 
Hence he consults no scientific works, is content to know objects by their ver¬ 
nacular names merely, however preposterous, unless he lays hold of a kind friend 
whose memory he taxes in a most inordinate manner, and a complete bandit in 
science, robs per force all that unfortunately fall in his way, or may choose to 
minister to his pseudo-pretensions, by exchanging their knowledge for his 
duplicates. Such an individual may be a good collector, and perhaps an unwearied 
one—but deficient in the “ development of the perceptive faculties,” or wanting 
time, industry, or application, will not trouble himself with the toil (for such 
he considers it) of studying the principles of classification. Now though I cannot 
consider such an individual a scientific naturalist, and though I do not say that a 
good illustrated work will make him so, it certainly might tend to lessen the 
trouble often given to “ kind friends” to work out the problem of nomenclature in 
his behalf. In my former observations, however, as well as in my present ones, 
I am contemplating the unassisted student , who has only to trust to fas own 
industry and application by observation, and the use of such works as he may 
be able to procure.—One who may have no “ kind friends,” or at any rate no 
