Chapter XV · Journeys Through Bookland in Its Relation to the School—(Continued)
Reading edition
Nature Study
Nature study to be most valuable must be in reality the study of nature. Its beginnings are in observation and experiment, but there comes a time when the child must go to books for information and enlightenment. The purposes of nature study are to awaken a spirit of inquiry concerning things in the immediate vicinity and thence in wider fields; to develop observation, comparison and reason; to give interests that will charm the possessor through life; to introduce the elements of the natural sciences. Enthusiasts have made the study of nature the basis of all school work, the correlating force in all studies. Such an idea has merit in it, for it is certain that lessons begun in the observation of living things and the phenomena of nature speedily ramify into language, reading, geography, history, and even mathematics.
There is among some an unfortunate tendency to go too much to books for material and to seize too quickly any suggestion that leads in that direction. Yet books are valuable at the proper time and in the proper place. When facts have been learned, they may be made vital by good literary selections; when facts not accessible by observation are needed, they may be obtained through books. On the other hand, literature is full of allusions to natural facts and phenomena and may only be understood by him who knows nature. Both phases of the subject are of vital interest.
Instead of attempting any systematic outline for nature study we will here try to give help on two problems only:
First. How may nature study be broadened by the use of literature?
Second. How may the study of nature help in the appreciation of literature?
I.
In trying to answer the first question we will present first a classified list of selections from Journeys Through Bookland which are closely related to the study of nature and indicate briefly how they may be used.
A. Seven Long Selections.
In the first place, there are long selections in which there are many anecdotes and incidents which are usable in nature study. We will give partial lists of what is to be found therein, but it is well to read the whole selection and choose what is best for the occasion.
1. Tom, the Water Baby (Volume II, page 215). This is one of the most charming stories in the book, especially for young children, though older ones and even people of mature years will enjoy it thoroughly. Tom, a little chimney sweep, after perilous adventures, dies, or rather turns into a newt or eft, a water baby. His exciting life thereafter is in the waters, where he meets many of its strange denizens. The whole story is highly imaginative, humorous, and full of fine lessons, beautifully given. The more important of his adventures, from our point of view, are concerned with the following:
The Caddis Fly, pages 261-264.
The Dragon Fly, pages 264-265.
The Sand Fly, pages 267-269.
Otters, pages 270-271, 273-274.
Salmon, pages 272, 279-283.
Tides, page 287.
The Turbot, page 289.
Lobsters, pages 292-294, 300-303.
Sea Cucumbers, page 297.
Great Auk, page 339.
Mother Carey’s Chickens (Stormy Petrels), page 344.
2. Robinson Crusoe (Volume III, page 45). Two chapters only are given from this great story, but the first, dealing with the capture and education of Crusoe’s man Friday, may be worth while to read in connection with studies of savage races. It is not altogether scientific.
3. The Swiss Family Robinson (Volume III, page 99). This famous old story will be charming to children for many generations to come. It is a tale of the wonderful struggle of a family against nature. It may be a fact that it is unreasonable and impossible; that not all the seeming facts are true; that nature never plays so perfectly into the hand of man; that not all the living things mentioned are to be found in one locality. But it is clean, wholesome adventure, and the errors in it will do no harm. Many a good language lesson and many an addition to nature lessons may be drawn from it. The efforts of the family to utilize what they find, though too successful, are worthy of imitation. Some of the more interesting things met by the family are the following:
Lobsters, page 113.
Oysters, pages 114, 117.
Agouti, page 116, with a picture on page 116.
Cocoanuts, pages 125-128.
Calabash Trees, page 123.
Monkeys and Cocoanuts, pages 125-128.
Shark, page 138.
Turtle, pages 145-149.
Penguins (picture), page 152, pages 151-153.
Cassava Bread, pages 154-157.
Caoutchouc, page 170.
Onager (Wild Ass), pages 171-174 (picture, page 172).
New Zealand Flax, pages 175-176.
Flamingo, page 177.
Salt Cavern, pages 180-185.
Herrings, pages 187-188.
Gypsum, page 188.
Boa Constrictor, pages 192-195.
Ostrich, pages 206-215.
Walrus, page 222.
Hyenas, pages 227-228.
Lions, pages 252-256.
4. Brute Neighbors (Volume VII, page 260) is an interesting essay by Henry David Thoreau, the most delightful of American naturalist writers. In this essay he chats familiarly about the animals that surround his cottage in the woods, and shows the closeness of his observation as well as the breadth of his general knowledge. It is a nature study in itself as a whole. Besides mention of other animals, he tells interesting anecdotes of the following:
A Wild Mouse, page 261.
The Partridge, as the ruffed grouse is called in New England, pages 262-263.
The Woodcock, page 264.
The Fighting Ants, pages 264-268.
The Loon, pages 270-274.
5. The Pond in Winter (Volume VII, page 280). This is another of Thoreau’s charming essays in natural history. It contains a pretty description of the snow and ice covered pond (page 280), an account of fishing through the ice (pages 282-283), and a vivid description of the pickerel (pages 283-284).
6. Winter Animals (Volume VII, page 293) is a third one of Thoreau’s essays. An analysis shows that he tells something of all the following interesting things:
I. Winter routes over lakes, pages 293-294.
II. Sounds by day and night.
a. The melodious note of a hooting owl, page 294.
b. The honking of a goose, page 294.
c. The harsh and tremulous call of a cat-owl, page 294.
d. The whooping of the ice, page 295.
e. The barking of foxes, page 295.
f. The feet of the red squirrel down the sides of the house, page 295.
g. The discordant screams of the jays, page 298.
h. The wiry note of the chickadee, page 298.
i. The whirring wings of the partridges, page 299.
j. The yelping of hounds, and the hunting horn (including fox hunting), pages 300-304.
III. The destructiveness of squirrels and wild mice, pages 296-297.
IV. The hares, pages 304-305.
7. Trees and Ants That Help Each Other (Volume VII, page 306) is a selection from the writings of Thomas Belt. It is an extremely interesting account of some of the curious adaptations of plants and animals to each other, as is indicated sufficiently by the title. An outline of the essay follows:
I. A species of acacia, pages 306-309.
1. Houses and feeds ants.
a. Houses in thorns.
b. Feeds (1) by glands and (2) by a pear-shaped appendage.
2. Ants protect trees.
3. Each seems beneficial to the other.
II. A cecropia, or trumpet tree, pages 309-311.
1. Houses and feeds ants.
a. Houses in hollow stems.
b. Feeds ants through herds of plant-lice that suck juices of plant and secrete honey.
2. Ants protect trees.
3. Apparently beneficial to all.
III. An evergreen shrub.
1. Houses and (probably) feeds ants.
a. Houses in pouches at base of leaves.
b. Probably feeds ants through the services of scale insects and plant-lice.
2. Ants protect shrubs.
3. Probably beneficial to all.
IV. Plants feeding ants, pages 311-312.
1. Orchids.
2. Passion flowers.
3. Dog rose.
B. Classified Selections
The following selections, ranging from nursery rhymes to some of the finest things ever written, may be considered available for the purpose of creating interest in nature study or of adding to a stock of knowledge already acquired. For convenience, they are classified in a general way, according to the subject-matter of which they treat:
I. Flowers and plant life:
a. Nursery rhymes:
(1) Daffy-Down-Dilly Has Come Up to Town, Volume I, page 47.
(2) Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, I, 30.
b. Fables:
(1) The Boy and the Nettle, Volume I, page 65.
(2) The Fox and the Grapes, I, 135.
c. Fairy Tales:
(1) The Tree, Volume I, page 301.
(2) The Flax, I, 378.
(3) The Fir Tree, II, 68.
d. Poems:
(1) The Reaper and the Flowers, Volume I, page 410.
(2) John’s Pumpkin, III, 1.
(3) The Potato, II, 467.
(4) The Moss Rose, VI, 98.
(5) The Daffodils, VII, 1.
(6) To the Fringed Gentian, VII, 4.
(7) To a Mountain Daisy, VII, 8.
(8) The Petrified Fern, VII, 77.
e. An interesting essay:
(1) A Bed of Nettles, Volume VIII, page 209.
f. See references to The Swiss Family Robinson and Trees and Ants That Help Each Other, in the earlier part of this section.
II. Birds:
a. Nursery rhymes:
(1) Lady Bird, Lady Bird, Volume I, page 12.
(2) Higgledy, Piggledy, I, 20.
(3) Poor Robin, I, 16.
b. Poems:
(1) Little Birdie, Volume I, page 142.
(2) The Brown Thrush, I, page 147.
(3) The English Robin, II, 214.
(4) Who Stole the Bird’s Nest? II, 399.
(5) Four Ducks on a Pond, VI, 98.
(6) The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, VII, 29.
(7) Ode to a Skylark, VII, 275
(8) To a Waterfowl, VII, 395.
(9) The Romance of the Swan’s Nest, VIII, 315.
c. Fables:
(1) The Fox and the Crow, Volume I, page 64.
(2) The Fox and the Stork, I, 73.
(3) The Wolf and the Crane, I, 96.
(4) The Lark and Her Young Ones, I, 131.
(5) The Owl and the Pussy Cat, I, 339.
(6) Minerva and the Owl, II, 7.
d. Fairy Story:
(1) The Ugly Duckling, Volume I, page 414.
e. An Essay:
(1) Owls, IX, page 229.
f. See also references to Tom, the Water Baby, The Swiss Family Robinson, Brute Neighbors, and Winter Animals, in earlier parts of this section.
III. Four-footed animals:
a. Nursery rhymes:
(1) Ding Dong Bell, Volume I, page 15.
(2) Little Bo Peep, I, 9.
(3) Old Mother Hubbard, I, 24.
(4) Three Little Kittens, I, 13.
(5) Baa, Baa, Black Sheep I, 8.
b. Fables:
(1) The Fox and the Crow, Volume I, page 64.
(2) The Ass in the Lion’s Skin, I, 65.
(3) The Fox and the Stork, I, 73.
(4) The Gnat and the Bull, I, 70.
(5) The Lion and the Mouse, I, 75.
(6) The Wolf and the Crane, I, 96.
(7) The Fox and the Grapes, I, 135.
(8) The Bat and the Two Weasels, I, 154.
(9) The Owl and the Pussy Cat, I, 339.
(10) The Horse and the Stag, I, 338.
(11) The Fox, the Wolf, and the Horse, I, 377.
(12) The Wolf and the Lamb, I, 455.
c. Poetry:
(1) The Cow, Volume I, page 106.
(2) Mercy to Animals, I, 413.
(3) How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix, V, 335.
(4) To a Mouse, VII, 5.
d. Stories:
(1) A Dog of Flanders, Volume IV, page 93.
(2) The Lion and the Missionary, VI, 93.
(3) Rab and His Friends, VI, 99.
(4) Elephant Hunting, VI, 385.
(5) The Gorilla Hunt, VII, 247.
e. Essays:
(1) Some Clever Monkeys, Volume VI, page 402.
(2) The Buffalo, VII, 96.
f. See, also, references to Tom, the Water Baby, The Swiss Family Robinson, Brute Neighbors, and The Pond in Winter, in the earlier part of this section.
IV. Reptiles:
a. Fable:
(1) The Boys and the Frogs, Volume I, page 63.
b. See, also, references to Tom, the Water Baby, and The Swiss Family Robinson, in the earlier part of this section.
V. Insects:
a. Nursery rhyme:
(1) Little Miss Muffett, Volume I, page 29.
b. Fable:
(1) The Gnat and the Bull, I, 70.
c. Poem:
(1) The Spider and the Fly, III, 19.
d. Essay:
(1) Trees and Ants That Help Each Other, VII, 306.
e. See, also, references to Tom, the Water Baby, in the earlier part of this section.
VI. Denizens of the water:
a. Fish:
(1) Salmon Fishing, Volume VII, page 285.
(2) “Pickerel,” in The Pond in Winter, VII, 280.
(3) See, also, “Salmon,” in Tom, the Water Baby, II, 272, 279-283.
b. See numerous references to Tom, the Water Baby, in the earlier part of this section.
VII. Natural Phenomena:
a. Nursery rhymes:
(1) Rainbow in the Morning, Volume I, page 48.
(2) If All the World Were Water, I, 48.
b. Poems:
(1) Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Volume I, page 44.
(2) The Sun’s Travels, I, 68.
(3) Rain, I, 110.
(4) Autumn Fires, I, 394.
(5) The Wind, I, 440.
(6) The First Snowfall, II 403.
(7) In Time’s Swing, II, 481.
(8) Echo, III, 286.
(9) The Rainbow, VI, 91.
(10) Sweet and Low, VI, 122.
(11) The Cloud, VII, 257.
c. Fable:
(1) The Wind and the Sun, Volume I, page 95.
VIII. Geographical in Nature:
(1) At the Seaside, Volume I, page 129.
(2) From a Railway Carriage, I, 198.
(3) Stop, Stop, Pretty Water, I, 317.
(4) Song of the Brook, IV, 60.
(5) A Descent into the Maelstrom, VIII, 95.
(6) Ascent of the Jungfrau, IX, 1.
II
Aid in answering the second problem may be found in the following paragraph:
A series of interesting studies may be founded on the use which authors make of nature by way of direct and indirect allusion in their works. Such lessons are the opposite of those we have been considering. Now, the literary selection is taken first, read carefully and the allusions noted and classified. It will be noticed that it is not necessary that selections used for this purpose should be new to the pupils. In fact, genuine literature has the merit of being always new, always interesting. No better service can be rendered to a child than to create in him a love for the fine things in literature. Continued, monotonous study of a masterpiece may breed dislike of it, especially if the exercises are dull and formal. But to approach an old favorite from a new direction, to look at it from a new point of view, is to lend it added charms.
A. To illustrate our method, we will use The King of the Golden River (Volume II, page 405).
1. Assignment. The leader assigns the work as follows: “I wish you to read the first section of The King of the Golden River and write in the order of their occurrence, every mention of a living thing or natural object and every allusion to them. Use the words of the story when possible, but be brief. After each put a number, to show the page of the story. Let us see who can find the greatest number and who can make the best paper.”
2. Preparation. If the children work well their lists will be something like this:
a. The valley in the mountains. Page 405.
(1) Snow-covered peaks; cataracts; a crag; river; circular hollows.
(2) Heavy crops; high hay; red apples; blue grapes; rich wine; sweet honey.
(3) Blackbirds; hedgehogs; crickets; cicadas.
(4) Corn.
b. The wet summer. Page 407.
(1) Hay; vines; corn.
c. A nice piece of mutton. Page 408.
d. Must be the wind. Page 408.
e. A black feather some three feet long. Page 409.
f. Like a beaten puppy’s tail. Page 410.
g. Like a mill stream. Page 410.
h. Licking its chops. Page 410.
i. A gust of wind that made the old chimneys totter. Page 411.
j. Quicksilver-like streams. Page 411.
k. Like a straw in the high wind. Page 413.
l. A wreath of ragged cloud, that whirled and rolled away down the valley. Page 415.
m. A gush of rain. Page 415.
n. Howling wind and rushing rain without intermission. Page 415.
o. The room was full of water. Page 416.
p. A misty moonbeam. Page 416.
r. Like a cork. Page 416.
s. The inundation. Pages 416-417.
(1) Trees; crops; cattle swept away.
(2) Red sand and gray mud left in their stead.
(3) Corn swept away.
(4) Breezy letters.
(5) Southwest Wind, Esquire.
3. Recitation. The leader’s part in the recitation is to help the children to classify the things mentioned, to bring out the meaning of the figures of speech, and to see that the allusions are understood.
In writing this fine chapter, Ruskin has mentioned or alluded to the following:
a. Land and water forms: Mountains; valley; snow; peaks; cataracts; river; circular hollow; mill stream; cloud; rain; globe of foam.
b. Animals: Sheep (mutton); bird (feathers); puppy; dog (licking its chops); wolf (howling wind); cattle.
c. Plant life: Crops; hay; apples; grapes; corn; vines; straw; cork; trees.
d. Natural phenomena: A wet summer wind blowing; gushing rain; whirling clouds; misty moonbeam; floating foam; sweeping inundation; breezes (breezy letters).
e. Rock material: Quicksilver; red sand; gray mud.
f. Natural products: Crops; apples; hay; grapes; wine; honey; corn; mutton; cork; cattle.
g. Figures of speech: (In studying figures of speech, make three points in each, viz.: First, the basis of the figure; second, the translation of the figure into literal English; third, the force and beauty of the figure and its effect on the meaning of the sentence. With older children the names of the figures may be given. Illustrations of these directions will follow.)
(1) Like a beaten puppy’s tail. (A beaten puppy drops his tail and drags it weakly behind him. The feather drooped down behind him and dragged limply along. The figure gives a vivid picture of the wet feather, limp and unhandsome. The figure is a comparison in the form of a simile.)
(2) Like a mill stream. (Rushing, roaring, fast and furious.)
(3) Licking its chops. (First, a dog runs out his tongue and licks his lips and the outside of his face [cheeks—chops] when he sees food brought to him. A red flame twists and waves around like the tongue of a dog. We speak of “tongues of flame” and “hungry flames devouring.” Second, long streams of flame waved around and curled about the wood as they burned it. Third, how much more vivid is the picture we see of the beautiful fire. The words “rustling” and “roaring” help to strengthen the figure. This is a fine comparison, but as it is not directly expressed by the use of the words “like” or “as” we call it a metaphor.)
(4) Quicksilver-like streams. (Bright, shining, smoothly running, with metallic luster.)
(5) Like a straw in the high wind. (Rapid, uncertain, irregular motion.)
(6) A wreath of ragged cloud. (Notice the metaphor in wreath—also in ragged.)
(7) Howling wind. (A wolf howls. The figure which raises an inanimate object to the level of animate beings, or raises an animate being [a dog, for instance] to the level of a human being, is called personification.)
(8) Like a cork.
(9) Swept away.
(10) Breezy letters. (The words swept and breezy are somewhat metaphorical, though their frequent use in this manner makes the meaning almost literal.)
(11) Southwest Wind, Esquire. (Personification.)
B. A second lesson may confine itself more closely to the figures of speech. Naturally this study of figures belongs with language and literature, but the point we wish to make is one of correlation. There is a literary side to nature study, and a natural history side to literature. Many of the greatest authors have been ardent lovers of nature, and have drawn liberally on their knowledge of nature in beautifying what they have written. Many a reader, from lack of knowledge or from careless habits, passes over the most delightful things, as blind and deaf as he who sees no beauty in the wild flowers and hears no melody in the songs of birds.
For the second lesson of this character we will take the second and third chapters of The King of the Golden River, hoping to find an abundance of figures based on nature in some of its forms. We may not find many. Some writers use few. We suspect that Ruskin used them freely; as a matter of fact he was one of the greatest lovers of nature, a man who labored hard to bring art and nature together and to find a place for them in the lives of all.
We find in the second chapter the following nature figures:
a. Southwest Wind, Esquire, page 418.
b. His relations, the West Winds, page 418.
c. It looks more like silk, page 419.
d. The hot breath of the furnace, page 420.
e. Bright tongues of fiery cloud burning and quivering about them, page 420.
f. A clear metallic voice, page 420.
g. Like that of a kettle on the boil, page 421.
h. As smooth and polished as a river, page 421.
i. The prismatic colors gleamed over it, as if on a surface of mother-of-pearl, page 422.
j. In order to allow time for the consternation ... to evaporate, page 424.
In the third chapter are the following:
a. Knotty question, page 426.
b. Like a line of forked lightning, page 427.
(This whole paragraph is a wonderfully beautiful description.)
c. Rose like slow smoke, page 427.
d. In feeble wreaths, page 428.
e. Shrieks resembling those of human voices in distress or pain, page 428.
f. None like the ordinary forms of splintered ice, page 428.
g. Deceitful shadows, page 428.
h. Lurid lights played, page 428.
i. Ice yawned into fresh chasms, page 428.
j. Fell thundering across his path, page 429.
k. Rays beat intensely, page 429.
l. Its lips parched and burning, page 430.
m. Long snake-like shadows, page 430.
n. The leaden weight of the dead air pressed upon his brow and heart, page 430.
o. Shaped like a sword, page 431.
p. Like a red-hot ball, page 431.
q. They shook their crests like tongues of fire, page 432.
r. Flashes of bloody light gleamed along their foam, page 432.
s. An icy chill shot through his limbs, page 432.
t. The moaning of the river, page 432.
u. The Black Stone, page 432.