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is （what to many readers will be a far higher recommendation） even
fashionable。 Every well…educated person is eager to know something
at least of the wonderful organic forms which surround him in every
sunbeam and every pebble； and books of Natural History are finding
their way more and more into drawing…rooms and school…rooms； and
exciting greater thirst for a knowledge which； even twenty years
ago； was considered superfluous for all but the professional
student。
What a change from the temper of two generations since； when the
naturalist was looked on as a harmless enthusiast； who went 〃bug…
hunting；〃 simply because he had not spirit to follow a fox！ There
are those alive who can recollect an amiable man being literally
bullied out of the New Forest； because he dared to make a
collection （at this moment； we believe； in some unknown abyss of
that great Avernus； the British Museum） of fossil shells from those
very Hordwell Cliffs； for exploring which there is now established
a society of subscribers and correspondents。 They can remember；
too； when； on the first appearance of Bewick's 〃British Birds；〃 the
excellent sportsman who brought it down to the Forest was asked；
Why on earth he had bought a book about 〃cock sparrows〃？ and had to
justify himself again and again； simply by lending the book to his
brother sportsmen； to convince them that there were rather more
than a dozen sorts of birds （as they then held） indigenous to
Hampshire。 But the book； perhaps； which turned the tide in favour
of Natural History； among the higher classes at least； in the south
of England； was White's 〃History of Selborne。〃 A Hampshire
gentleman and sportsman； whom everybody knew； had taken the trouble
to write a book about the birds and the weeds in his own parish；
and the every…day things which went on under his eyes； and everyone
else's。 And all gentlemen； from the Weald of Kent to the Vale of
Blackmore； shrugged their shoulders mysteriously； and said； 〃Poor
fellow！〃 till they opened the book itself； and discovered to their
surprise that it read like any novel。 And then came a burst of
confused； but honest admiration； from the young squire's 〃Bless me！
who would have thought that there were so many wonderful things to
be seen in one's own park！〃 to the old squire's more morally
valuable 〃Bless me！ why； I have seen that and that a hundred times；
and never thought till now how wonderful they were！〃
There were great excuses； though； of old； for the contempt in which
the naturalist was held； great excuses for the pitying tone of
banter with which the Spectator talks of 〃the ingenious〃 Don
Saltero （as no doubt the Neapolitan gentleman talked of Ferrante
Imperato the apothecary； and his museum）； great excuses for
Voltaire； when he classes the collection of butterflies among the
other 〃bizarreries de l'esprit humain。〃 For； in the last
generation； the needs of the world were different。 It had no time
for butterflies and fossils。 While Buonaparte was hovering on the
Boulogne coast； the pursuits and the education which were needed
were such as would raise up men to fight him； so the coarse；
fierce； hard…handed training of our grandfathers came when it was
wanted； and did the work which was required of it； else we had not
been here now。 Let us be thankful that we have had leisure for
science； and show now in war that our science has at least not
unmanned us。
Moreover； Natural History； if not fifty years ago； certainly a
hundred years ago； was hardly worthy of men of practical common
sense。 After； indeed； Linne； by his invention of generic and
specific names； had made classification possible； and by his own
enormous labours had shown how much could be done when once a
method was established； the science has grown rapidly enough。 But
before him little or nothing had been put into form definite enough
to allure those who （as the many always will） prefer to profit by
others' discoveries； than to discover for themselves； and Natural
History was attractive only to a few earnest seekers； who found too
much trouble in disencumbering their own minds of the dreams of
bygone generations （whether facts； like cockatrices； basilisks； and
krakens； the breeding of bees out of a dead ox； and of geese from
barnacles； or theories； like those of elements； the VIS PLASTRIX in
Nature； animal spirits； and the other musty heirlooms of
Aristotleism and Neo…platonism）； to try to make a science popular；
which as yet was not even a science at all。 Honour to them；
nevertheless。 Honour to Ray and his illustrious contemporaries in
Holland and France。 Honour to Seba and Aldrovandus； to Pomet； with
his 〃Historie of Drugges；〃 even to the ingenious Don Saltero； and
his tavern…museum in Cheyne Walk。 Where all was chaos； every man
was useful who could contribute a single spot of organized standing
ground in the shape of a fact or a specimen。 But it is a question
whether Natural History would have ever attained its present
honours； had not Geology arisen； to connect every other branch of
Natural History with problems as vast and awful as they are
captivating to the imagination。 Nay； the very opposition with
which Geology met was of as great benefit to the sister sciences as
to itself。 For； when questions belonging to the most sacred
hereditary beliefs of Christendom were supposed to be affected by
the verification of a fossil shell； or the proving that the
Maestricht 〃homo diluvii testis〃 was； after all； a monstrous eft；
it became necessary to work upon Conchology； Botany； and
Comparative Anatomy； with a care and a reverence； a caution and a
severe induction； which had been never before applied to them； and
thus gradually； in the last half…century； the whole choir of
cosmical sciences have acquired a soundness； severity； and fulness；
which render them； as mere intellectual exercises； as valuable to a
manly mind as Mathematics and Metaphysics。
But how very lately have they attained that firm and honourable
standing ground！ It is a question whether； even twenty years ago；
Geology； as it then stood； was worth troubling one's head about； so
little had been really proved。 And heavy and uphill was the work；
even within the last fifteen years； of those who stedfastly set
themselves to the task of proving and of asserting at all risks；
that the Maker of the coal seam and the diluvial cave could not be
a 〃Deus quidam deceptor；〃 and that the facts which the rock and the
silt revealed were sacred； not to be warped or trifled with for the
sake of any cowardly and hasty notion that they contradicted His
other messages。 When a few more years are past； Buckland and
Sedgwick； Murchison and Lyell； Delab坈he and Phillips； Forbes and
Jamieson； and the group of brave men who accompanied and followed
them； will be looked back to as moral benefactors of their race；