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animals of the lowest type； by little touches of pathos and humour；
that living and personal interest； to bestow which is generally the
special function of the poet： not that Waterton and Jesse are not
excellent in this respect； and authors who should be in every boy's
library： but they are rather anecdotists than systematic or
scientific inquirers； while Mr。 Gosse； in his 〃Naturalist on the
Shores of Devon；〃 his 〃Tour in Jamaica；〃 his 〃Tenby；〃 and his
〃Canadian Naturalist；〃 has done for those three places what White
did for Selborne； with all the improved appliances of a science
which has widened and deepened tenfold since White's time。 Mr。
Gosse's 〃Manual of the Marine Zoology of the British Isles〃 is； for
classification； by far the completest handbook extant。 He has
contrived in it to compress more sound knowledge of vast classes of
the animal kingdom than I ever saw before in so small a space。 （35）
Miss Anne Pratt's 〃Things of the Sea…coast〃 is excellent； and still
better is Professor Harvey's 〃Sea…side Book；〃 of which it is
impossible to speak too highly； and most pleasant it is to see a
man of genius and learning thus gathering the bloom of his varied
knowledge； to put it into a form equally suited to a child and a
SAVANT。 Seldom； perhaps； has there been a little book in which so
vast a quantity of facts have been told so gracefully； simply；
without a taint of pedantry or cumbrousness … an excellence which
is the sure and only mark of a perfect mastery of the subject。 Mr。
G。 H。 Lewes's 〃Sea…shore Studies〃 are also very valuable； hardly
perhaps a book for beginners； but from his admirable power of
description； whether of animals or of scenes； is interesting for
all classes of readers。
Two little 〃Popular〃 Histories … one of British Zoophytes； the
other of British Sea…weeds； by Dr。 Landsborough （since dead of
cholera； at Saltcoats； the scene of his energetic and pious
ministry） … are very excellent； and are furnished； too； with well…
drawn and coloured plates； for the comfort of those to whom a
scientific nomenclature （as liable as any other human thing to be
faulty and obscure） conveys but a vague conception of the objects。
These may serve well for the beginner； as introductions to
Professor Harvey's large work on British Algae； and to the new
edition of Professor Johnston's invaluable 〃British Zoophytes；〃
Miss Gifford's 〃Marine Botanist；〃 third edition； and Dr。 Cocks's
〃Sea…weed Collector's Guide；〃 have also been recommended by a high
authority。
For general Zoology the best books for beginners are； perhaps； as a
general introduction； the Rev。 J。 A。 L。 Wood's 〃Popular Zoology；〃
full of excellent plates； and for systematic Zoology； Mr。 Gosse's
four little books； on Mammals； Birds； Reptiles； and Fishes；
published with many plates； by the Christian Knowledge Society； at
a marvellously cheap rate。 For miscroscopic animalcules； Miss
Agnes Catlow's 〃Drops of Water〃 will teach the young more than they
will ever remember； and serve as a good introduction to those
teeming abysses of the unseen world； which must be afterwards
traversed under the guidance of Hassall and Ehrenberg。
For Ornithology； there is no book； after all； like dear old Bewick；
PASSE though he may be in a scientific point of view。 There is a
good little British ornithology； too； published in Sir W。 Jardine's
〃Naturalist's Library；〃 and another by Mr。 Gosse。 And Mr。 Knox's
〃Ornithological Rambles in Sussex；〃 with Mr。 St。 John's 〃Highland
Sports；〃 and 〃Tour in Sutherlandshire；〃 are the monographs of
naturalists； gentlemen； and sportsmen； which remind one at every
page （and what higher praise can one give？） of White's 〃History of
Selborne。〃 These last； with Mr。 Gosse's 〃Canadian Naturalist；〃 and
his little book 〃The Ocean；〃 not forgetting Darwin's delightful
〃Voyage of the Beagle and Adventure；〃 ought to be in the hands of
every lad who is likely to travel to our colonies。
For general Geology； Professor Ansted's Introduction is excellent；
while； as a specimen of the way in which a single district may be
thoroughly worked out； and the universal method of induction learnt
from a narrow field of objects； what book can； or perhaps ever
will； compare with Mr。 Hugh Miller's 〃Old Red Sandstone〃？
For this last reason； I especially recommend to the young the Rev。
C。 A。 Johns's 〃Week at the Lizard；〃 as teaching a young person how
much there is to be seen and known within a few square miles of
these British Isles。 But； indeed； all Mr。 Johns's books are good
（as they are bound to be； considering his most accurate and varied
knowledge）； especially his 〃Flowers of the Field；〃 the best cheap
introduction to systematic botany which has yet appeared。 Trained；
and all but self…trained； like Mr。 Hugh Miller； in a remote and
narrow field of observation； Mr。 Johns has developed himself into
one of our most acute and persevering botanists； and has added many
a new treasure to the Flora of these isles； and one person； at
least； owes him a deep debt of gratitude for first lessons in
scientific accuracy and patience； … lessons taught； not dully and
dryly at the book and desk； but livingly and genially； in
adventurous rambles over the bleak cliffs and ferny woods of the
wild Atlantic shore； …
〃Where the old fable of the guarded mount
Looks toward Namancos and Bayona's hold。〃
Mr。 Henfrey's 〃Rudiments of Botany〃 might accompany Mr。 Johns's
books。 Mr。 Babington's 〃Manual of British Botany〃 is also most
compact and highly finished； and seems the best work which I know
of from which a student somewhat advanced in English botany can
verify species； while for ferns； Moore's 〃Handbook〃 is probably the
best for beginners。
For Entomology； which； after all； is the study most fit for boys
（as Botany is for girls） who have no opportunity for visiting the
sea…shore； Catlow's 〃Popular British Entomology；〃 having coloured
plates （a delight to young people）； and saying something of all the
orders； is； probably； still a good work for beginners。
Mr。 Stainton's 〃Entomologist's Annual for 1855〃 contains valuable
hints of that gentleman's on taking and arranging moths and
butterflies； as well as of Mr。 Wollaston's on performing the same
kind office for that far more numerous； and not less beautiful
class； the beetles。 There is also an admirable 〃Manual of British
Butterflies and Moths；〃 by Mr。 Stainton； in course of publication；
but； perhaps； the most interesting of all entomological books which
I have seen （and for introducing me to which I must express my
hearty thanks to Mr。 Stainton）； is 〃Practical Hints respecting
Moths and Butterflies； forming a Calendar of Entomological
Operations；〃 （36） by Richard Shield； a simple London working…man。
I would gladly devote more space than I can here spare to a review
of this little book； so perfectly does it corroborate every word
which I have said already as to the moral and intellectual value of
such studies。 Richard Shield； making himself a first…rate
〃lepidopterist；〃 while working with his hands for a pound a week；
is the antitype of Mr。 Peach； the coast…guardsman； among his
Cornish tide…rocks。 But more than this； there is about Shield's
book a tone as of Izaak Walton himself； which is very delightful；
tender； poetical； and religious； yet full of quiet quaintness and
humour； showing in every page how the love for Natural History is
in him only one expression of a love for all things beautiful； and
pure； and right。 If any readers of these pages fancy that I over…
praise the book； let them buy it； and judge for themselves。 They
will thus help the good man toward pursuing his studies with larger
and better appliances； and will be （as I expect） surprised to find
how much there is to be seen and done； even by a working…man；
within a day's walk of smoky Babylon itself； and how easily a man
might； if he would； wash his soul clean for a while from all the
turmoil and intrigue； the vanity and vexation of spirit of that
〃too…populous wilderness；〃 by going out to be alone a while with
God in heaven； and with that earth which He has given to the
children of men； not merely for the material wants of their bodies；
but as a witness and a sacrament that in Him they live and move；
and have their being； 〃not by bread alone； but by EVERY word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God。〃
Thus I wrote some twenty years ago； when the study of Natural
History was confined mainly to several scientific men； or mere
collectors of shells； insects； and dried plants。
Since then； I am glad to say； it has become a popular and common
pursuit； owing； I doubt not； to the impulse given to it by the many
authors whose works I then recommended。 I recommend them still；
though a swarm of other manuals and popula