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training； men whose bodies were developed； and their lungs fed on
pure breezes； long before they brought to work in the city the
bodily and mental strength which they had gained by loch and moor。
But it is not so with their sons。 Their business habits are learnt
in the counting…house； a good school； doubtless； as far as it goes：
but one which will expand none but the lowest intellectual
faculties； which will make them accurate accountants； shrewd
computers and competitors； but never the originators of daring
schemes； men able and willing to go forth to replenish the earth
and subdue it。 And in the hours of relaxation； how much of their
time is thrown away； for want of anything better； on frivolity； not
to say on secret profligacy； parents know too well； and often shut
their eyes in very despair to evils which they know not how to
cure。 A frightful majority of our middle…class young men are
growing up effeminate； empty of all knowledge but what tends
directly to the making of a fortune； or rather； to speak correctly；
to the keeping up the fortunes which their fathers have made for
them； while of the minority； who are indeed thinkers and readers；
how many women as well as men have we seen wearying their souls
with study undirected； often misdirected； craving to learn； yet not
knowing how or what to learn； cultivating； with unwholesome energy；
the head at the expense of the body and the heart； catching up with
the most capricious self…will one mania after another； and tossing
it away again for some new phantom； gorging the memory with facts
which no one has taught them to arrange； and the reason with
problems which they have no method for solving； till they fret
themselves in a chronic fever of the brain； which too often urge
them on to plunge； as it were； to cool the inward fire； into the
ever…restless seas of doubt or of superstition。 It is a sad
picture。 There are many who may read these pages whose hearts will
tell them that it is a true one。 What is wanted in these cases is
a methodic and scientific habit of mind； and a class of objects on
which to exercise that habit； which will fever neither the
speculative intellect nor the moral sense； and those physical
science will give； as nothing else can give it。
Moreover； to revert to another point which we touched just now； man
has a body as well as a mind； and with the vast majority there will
be no MENS SANA unless there be a CORPUS SANUM for it to inhabit。
And what outdoor training to give our youths is； as we have already
said； more than ever puzzling。 This difficulty is felt； perhaps；
less in Scotland than in England。 The Scotch climate compels
hardiness； the Scotch bodily strength makes it easy； and Scotland；
with her mountain…tours in summer； and her frozen lochs in winter；
her labyrinth of sea…shore； and； above all； that priceless boon
which Providence has bestowed on her； in the contiguity of her
great cities to the loveliest scenery； and the hills where every
breeze is health； affords facilities for healthy physical life
unknown to the Englishman； who has no Arthur's Seat towering above
his London； no Western Islands sporting the ocean firths beside his
Manchester。 Field sports； with the invaluable training which they
give； if not
〃The reason firm；〃
yet still
〃The temperate will；
Endurance； foresight； strength； and skill；〃
have become impossible for the greater number： and athletic
exercises are now； in England at least； becoming more and more
artificialized and expensive； and are confined more and more … with
the honourable exception of the football games in Battersea Park …
to our Public Schools and the two elder Universities。 All honour；
meanwhile； to the Volunteer movement； and its moral as well as its
physical effects。 But it is only a comparatively few of the very
sturdiest who are likely to become effective Volunteers； and so
really gain the benefits of learning to be soldiers。 And yet the
young man who has had no substitute for such occupations will cut
but a sorry figure in Australia； Canada； or India； and if he stays
at home； will spend many a pound in doctors' bills； which could
have been better employed elsewhere。 〃Taking a walk〃 … as one
would take a pill or a draught … seems likely soon to become the
only form of outdoor existence possible for too many inhabitants of
the British Isles。 But a walk without an object； unless in the
most lovely and novel of scenery； is a poor exercise； and as a
recreation； utterly nil。 I never knew two young lads go out for a
〃constitutional；〃 who did not； if they were commonplace youths；
gossip the whole way about things better left unspoken； or； if they
were clever ones； fall on arguing and brainsbeating on politics or
metaphysics from the moment they left the door； and return with
their wits even more heated and tired than they were when they set
out。 I cannot help fancying that Milton made a mistake in a
certain celebrated passage； and that it was not 〃sitting on a hill
apart；〃 but tramping four miles out and four miles in along a
turnpike…road； that his hapless spirits discoursed
〃Of fate； free…will； foreknowledge absolute；
And found no end； in wandering mazes lost。〃
Seriously； if we wish rural walks to do our children any good； we
must give them a love for rural sights； an object in every walk； we
must teach them … and we can teach them … to find wonder in every
insect； sublimity in every hedgerow； the records of past worlds in
every pebble； and boundless fertility upon the barren shore； and
so； by teaching them to make full use of that limited sphere in
which they now are； make them faithful in a few things； that they
may be fit hereafter to be rulers over much。
I may seem to exaggerate the advantages of such studies； but the
question after all is one of experience： and I have had experience
enough and to spare that what I say is true。 I have seen the young
man of fierce passions； and uncontrollable daring； expend healthily
that energy which threatened daily to plunge him into recklessness；
if not into sin； upon hunting out and collecting； through rock and
bog； snow and tempest； every bird and egg of the neighbouring
forest。 I have seen the cultivated man； craving for travel and for
success in life； pent up in the drudgery of London work； and yet
keeping his spirit calm； and perhaps his morals all the more
righteous； by spending over his microscope evenings which would too
probably have gradually been wasted at the theatre。 I have seen
the young London beauty； amid all the excitement and temptation of
luxury and flattery； with her heart pure and her mind occupied in a
boudoir full of shells and fossils； flowers and sea…weeds； keeping
herself unspotted from the world； by considering the lilies of the
field； how they grow。 And therefore it is that I hail with
thankfulness every fresh book of Natural History； as a fresh boon
to the young； a fresh help to those who have to educate them。
The greatest difficulty in the way of beginners is （as in most
things） how 〃to learn the art of learning。〃 They go out； search；
find less than they expected； and give the subject up in
disappointment。 It is good to begin； therefore； if possible； by
playing the part of 〃jackal〃 to some practised naturalist； who will
show the tyro where to look； what to look for； and； moreover； what
it is that he has found； often no easy matter to discover。 Forty
years ago； during an autumn's work of dead…leaf…searching in the
Devon woods for poor old Dr。 Turton； while he was writing his book
on British land…shells； the present writer learnt more of the art
of observing than he would have learnt in three years' desultory
hunting on his own account； and he has often regretted that no
naturalist has established shore…lectures at some watering…place；
like those up hill and down dale field…lectures which； in pleasant
bygone Cambridge days； Professor Sedgwick used to give to young
geologists； and Professor Henslow to young botanists。
In the meanwhile； to show you something of what may be seen by
those who care to see； let me take you； in imagination； to a shore
where I was once at home； and for whose richness I can vouch； and
choose our season and our day to start forth； on some glorious
September or October morning； to see what last night's equinoctial
gale has swept from the populous shallows of Torbay； and cast up；
high and dry； on Paignton sands。
Torbay is a place which should be as much endeared to the
naturalist as to the patriot and to the artist。 We cannot gaze on
its blue ring of water； and the great limestone bluffs which bound
it to the north and south； without a glow passing through our
hearts； as we remember the terrible and glorious pagea