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！
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despised should be withdrawn； and looking at every object as if he were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
22
… Page 23…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
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
23
… Page 24…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
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 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 wer