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as well as earnest research； is concerned； whom England has ever
seen； was the Devonshire squire； Colonel George Montagu； of whom
the late E。 Forbes well says； that 〃had he been educated a
physiologist〃 （and not； as he was； a soldier and a sportsman）； 〃and
made the study of Nature his aim and not his amusement； his would
have been one of the greatest names in the whole range of British
science。〃 I question； nevertheless； whether he would not have lost
more than he would have gained by a different training。 It might
have made him a more learned systematizer； but would it have
quickened in him that 〃seeing〃 eye of the true soldier and
sportsman； which makes Montagu's descriptions indelible word…
pictures； instinct with life and truth？ 〃There is no question；〃
says E。 Forbes； after bewailing the vagueness of most naturalists；
〃about the identity of any animal Montagu described。 。 。 。 He was a
forward…looking philosopher； he spoke of every creature as if one
exceeding like it； yet different from it； would be washed up by the
waves next tide。 Consequently his descriptions are permanent。〃
Scientific men will recognize in this the highest praise which can
be bestowed； because it attributes to him the highest faculty … The
Art of Seeing； but the study and the book would not have given
that。 It is God's gift wheresoever educated： but its true school…
room is the camp and the ocean； the prairie and the forest； active；
self…helping life； which can grapple with Nature herself： not
merely with printed…books about her。 Let no one think that this
same Natural History is a pursuit fitted only for effeminate or
pedantic men。 I should say； rather； that the qualifications
required for a perfect naturalist are as many and as lofty as were
required； by old chivalrous writers； for the perfect knight…errant
of the Middle Ages： for （to sketch an ideal； of which I am happy
to say our race now affords many a fair realization） our perfect
naturalist should be strong in body； able to haul a dredge； climb a
rock； turn a boulder； walk all day； uncertain where he shall eat or
rest； ready to face sun and rain； wind and frost； and to eat or
drink thankfully anything； however coarse or meagre； he should know
how to swim for his life； to pull an oar； sail a boat； and ride the
first horse which comes to hand； and； finally； he should be a
thoroughly good shot； and a skilful fisherman； and； if he go far
abroad； be able on occasion to fight for his life。
For his moral character； he must； like a knight of old； be first of
all gentle and courteous； ready and able to ingratiate himself with
the poor； the ignorant； and the savage； not only because foreign
travel will be often otherwise impossible； but because he knows how
much invaluable local information can be only obtained from
fishermen； miners； hunters； and tillers of the soil。 Next； he
should be brave and enterprising； and withal patient and undaunted；
not merely in travel； but in investigation； knowing （as Lord Bacon
might have put it） that the kingdom of Nature； like the kingdom of
heaven； must be taken by violence； and that only to those who knock
long and earnestly does the great mother open the doors of her
sanctuary。 He must be of a reverent turn of mind also； not rashly
discrediting any reports； however vague and fragmentary； giving man
credit always for some germ of truth； and giving Nature credit for
an inexhaustible fertility and variety； which will keep him his
life long always reverent； yet never superstitious； wondering at
the commonest； but not surprised by the most strange； free from the
idols of size and sensuous loveliness； able to see grandeur in the
minutest objects； beauty； in the most ungainly； estimating each
thing not carnally； as the vulgar do； by its size or its
pleasantness to the senses； but spiritually； by the amount of
Divine thought revealed to Man therein； holding every phenomenon
worth the noting down； believing that every pebble holds a
treasure； every bud a revelation； making it a point of conscience
to pass over nothing through laziness or hastiness； lest the vision
once offered and despised should be withdrawn； and looking at every
object as if he were never to behold it again。
Moreover； he must keep himself free from all those perturbations of
mind which not only weaken energy； but darken and confuse the
inductive faculty； from haste and laziness； from melancholy；
testiness； pride； and all the passions which make men see only what
they wish to see。 Of solemn and scrupulous reverence for truth； of
the habit of mind which regards each fact and discovery； not as our
own possession； but as the possession of its Creator； independent
of us； our tastes； our needs； or our vain…glory； I hardly need to
speak； for it is the very essence of a nature's faculty … the very
tenure of his existence： and without truthfulness science would be
as impossible now as chivalry would have been of old。
And last； but not least； the perfect naturalist should have in him
the very essence of true chivalry； namely； self…devotion； the
desire to advance； not himself and his own fame or wealth； but
knowledge and mankind。 He should have this great virtue； and in
spite of many shortcomings （for what man is there who liveth and
sinneth not？）； naturalists as a class have it to a degree which
makes them stand out most honourably in the midst of a self…seeking
and mammonite generation； inclined to value everything by its money
price； its private utility。 The spirit which gives freely； because
it knows that it has received freely； which communicates knowledge
without hope of reward； without jealousy and rivalry； to fellow…
students and to the world； which is content to delve and toil
comparatively unknown； that from its obscure and seemingly
worthless results others may derive pleasure； and even build up
great fortunes； and change the very face of cities and lands； by
the practical use of some stray talisman which the poor student has
invented in his laboratory； … this is the spirit which is abroad
among our scientific men； to a greater degree than it ever has been
among any body of men for many a century past； and might well be
copied by those who profess deeper purposes and a more exalted
calling； than the discovery of a new zoophyte； or the
classification of a moorland crag。
And it is these qualities； however imperfectly they may be realized
in any individual instance； which make our scientific men； as a
class； the wholesomest and pleasantest of companions abroad； and at
home the most blameless； simple； and cheerful； in all domestic
relations； men for the most part of manful heads； and yet of
childlike hearts； who have turned to quiet study； in these late
piping times of peace； an intellectual health and courage which
might have made them； in more fierce and troublous times； capable
of doing good service with very different instruments than the
scalpel and the microscope。
I have been sketching an ideal： but one which I seriously
recommend to the consideration of all parents； for； though it be
impossible and absurd to wish that every young man should grow up a
naturalist by profession； yet this age offers no more wholesome
training； both moral and intellectual； than that which is given by
instilling into the young an early taste for outdoor physical
science。 The education of our children is now more than ever a
puzzling problem； if by education we mean the development of the
whole humanity； not merely of some arbitrarily chosen part of it。
How to feed the imagination with wholesome food； and teach it to
despise French novels； and that sugared slough of sentimental
poetry； in comparison with which the old fairy…tales and ballads
were manful and rational； how to counteract the tendency to
shallowed and conceited sciolism； engendered by hearing popular
lectures on all manner of subjects； which can only be really learnt
by stern methodic study； how to give habits of enterprise；
patience； accurate observation； which the counting…house or the
library will never bestow； above all； how to develop the physical
powers； without engendering brutality and coarseness … are
questions becoming daily more and more puzzling； while they need
daily more and more to be solved； in an age of enterprise； travel；
and emigration； like the present。 For the truth must be told； that
the great majority of men who are now distinguished by commercial
success； have had a training the directly opposite to that which
they are giving to their sons。 They are for the most part men who
have migrated from the country to the town； and had in their youth
all the advantages of a sturdy and manful hill…side or sea…side
training； men whose bodies were developed； and their lungs fed on
pure breezes； long