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What a change from the temper of two generations since； when the
naturalist was looked on as a harmless enthusiast； who went 〃bug…
hunting；〃 simply because he had not spirit to follow a fox！ There are
those alive who can recollect an amiable man being literally bullied out
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of the New Forest； because he dared to make a collection （at this
moment； we believe； in some unknown abyss of that great Avernus； the
British Museum） of fossil shells from those very Hordwell Cliffs； for
exploring which there is now established a society of subscribers and
correspondents。 They can remember； too； when； on the first
appearance of Bewick's 〃British Birds；〃 the excellent sportsman who
brought it down to the Forest was asked； Why on earth he had bought a
book about 〃cock sparrows〃？ and had to justify himself again and again；
simply by lending the book to his brother sportsmen； to convince them
that there were rather more than a dozen sorts of birds （as they then held）
indigenous to Hampshire。 But the book； perhaps； which turned the tide
in favour of Natural History； among the higher classes at least； in the
south of England； was White's 〃History of Selborne。〃 A Hampshire
gentleman and sportsman； whom everybody knew； had taken the trouble
to write a book about the birds and the weeds in his own parish； and the
every…day things which went on under his eyes； and everyone else's。
And all gentlemen； from the Weald of Kent to the Vale of Blackmore；
shrugged their shoulders mysteriously； and said； 〃Poor fellow！〃 till they
opened the book itself； and discovered to their surprise that it read like
any novel。 And then came a burst of confused； but honest admiration；
from the young squire's 〃Bless me！ who would have thought that there
were so many wonderful things to be seen in one's own park！〃 to the old
squire's more morally valuable 〃Bless me！ why； I have seen that and that
a hundred times； and never thought till now how wonderful they were！〃
There were great excuses； though； of old； for the contempt in which
the naturalist was held； great excuses for the pitying tone of banter with
which the Spectator talks of 〃the ingenious〃 Don Saltero （as no doubt
the Neapolitan gentleman talked of Ferrante Imperato the apothecary；
and his museum）； great excuses for Voltaire； when he classes the
collection of butterflies among the other 〃bizarreries de l'esprit humain。〃
For； in the last generation； the needs of the world were different。 It had
no time for butterflies and fossils。 While Buonaparte was hovering on
the Boulogne coast； the pursuits and the education which were needed
were such as would raise up men to fight him； so the coarse； fierce；
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hard…handed training of our grandfathers came when it was wanted； and
did the work which was required of it； else we had not been here now。
Let us be thankful that we have had leisure for science； and show now in
war that our science has at least not unmanned us。
Moreover； Natural History； if not fifty years ago； certainly a hundred
years ago； was hardly worthy of men of practical common sense。 After；
indeed； Linne； by his invention of generic and specific names； had made
classification possible； and by his own enormous labours had shown
how much could be done when once a method was established； the
science has grown rapidly enough。 But before him little or nothing had
been put into form definite enough to allure those who （as the many
always will） prefer to profit by others' discoveries； than to discover for
themselves； and Natural History was attractive only to a few earnest
seekers； who found too much trouble in disencumbering their own minds
of the dreams of bygone generations （whether facts； like cockatrices；
basilisks； and krakens； the breeding of bees out of a dead ox； and of
geese from barnacles； or theories； like those of elements； the VIS
PLASTRIX in Nature； animal spirits； and the other musty heirlooms of
Aristotleism and Neo…platonism）； to try to make a science popular；
which as yet was not even a science at all。 Honour to them；
nevertheless。 Honour to Ray and his illustrious contemporaries in
Holland and France。 Honour to Seba and Aldrovandus； to Pomet； with
his 〃Historie of Drugges；〃 even to the ingenious Don Saltero； and his
tavern…museum in Cheyne Walk。 Where all was chaos； every man was
useful who could contribute a single spot of organized standing ground
in the shape of a fact or a specimen。 But it is a question whether
Natural History would have ever attained its present honours； had not
Geology arisen； to connect every other branch of Natural History with
problems as vast and awful as they are captivating to the imagination。
Nay； the very opposition with which Geology met was of as great benefit
to the sister sciences as to itself。 For； when questions belonging to the
most sacred hereditary beliefs of Christendom were supposed to be
affected by the verification of a fossil shell； or the proving that the
Maestricht 〃homo diluvii testis〃 was； after all； a monstrous eft； it became
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necessary to work upon Conchology； Botany； and Comparative Anatomy；
with a care and a reverence； a caution and a severe induction； which had
been never before applied to them； and thus gradually； in the last half…
century； the whole choir of cosmical sciences have acquired a soundness；
severity； and fulness； which render them； as mere intellectual exercises；
as valuable to a manly mind as Mathematics and Metaphysics。
But how very lately have they attained that firm and honourable
standing ground！ It is a question whether； even twenty years ago；
Geology； as it then stood； was worth troubling one's head about； so little
had been really proved。 And heavy and uphill was the work； even
within the last fifteen years； of those who stedfastly set themselves to the
task of proving and of asserting at all risks； that the Maker of the coal
seam and the diluvial cave could not be a 〃Deus quidam deceptor；〃 and
that the facts which the rock and the silt revealed were sacred； not to be
warped or trifled with for the sake of any cowardly and hasty notion that
they contradicted His other messages。 When a few more years are past；
Buckland and Sedgwick； Murchison and Lyell； Delab 坈 he and Phillips；
Forbes and Jamieson； and the group of brave men who accompanied and
followed them； will be looked back to as moral benefactors of their race；
and almost as martyrs； also； when it is remembered how much
misunderstanding； obloquy； and plausible folly they had to endure from
well…meaning fanatics like Fairholme or Granville Penn； and the
respectable mob at their heels who tried （as is the fashion in such cases）
to make a hollow compromise between fact and the Bible； by twisting
facts just enough to make them fi