第 35 节
作者:
精灵王 更新:2021-04-30 17:23 字数:9319
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
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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
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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;
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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