按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
morally valuable as they are intellectually interesting。 Since White's
〃History of Selborne；〃 few or no writers on Natural History； save Mr。
Gosse； Mr。 G。 H。 Lewes； and poor Mr。 E。 Forbes； have had the power of
bringing out the human side of science； and giving to seemingly dry
disquisitions and 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
98
… Page 99…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
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
99
… Page 100…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
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