50
THE INTER-RELATIONS OF
and in resisting infringement upon rights and employments that have
for so many generations contributed to the public welfare, and which
if left undisturbed will still continue to increase in value and impor-
tance.
THE INTER-RELATIONS OF THE FIELD
NATURALIST'S KNOWLEDGE.
By J. LOGAN LOBLEY, F.G.S.
[Read January 11th, 1890.]
THE Essex Field Club, like other Field Naturalists' Societies, is
composed of lovers of one or more departments of what is known
by the general designation of "Natural History," and the majority
doubtless devote themselves individually to the pursuit, more
especially, of one favourite branch. Only very rarely do we meet
with a Gilbert White or an ardent lover of Nature under every
aspect. Thus, though the range of knowledge open to the Field
Naturalist is very extensive, yet in actual fact, the portion zealously
explored by each individual naturalist is not nearly so great. Nor
can it well be otherwise now or in the future.
Every year witnesses a great addition to the accumulated multi-
tude of facts recognised by each and every science, and consequently
every year is it becoming more and more difficult to obtain a good
detailed acquaintance with even any one department of human
knowledge, and so the difficulty of becoming master of more than one
is very greatly increased. The multiplication and the improvement
of elementary text-books and introductory hand-books, and the well-
meant and assiduous endeavours of many authors to, what is called,
popularise science, do indeed much to facilitate the acquirement of the
elements of several, or even of many, sciences by the eager seeker after
knowledge. They do not, however, by any means overcome the
increasing hindrance to a detailed and masterly knowledge of several
sciences consequent upon the advance and extension of human
knowledge in the aggregate. And it is a detailed knowledge that is
sought after by the ardent lover of any branch of study. Earnest
students of several departments of science are therefore rare, and
must become rarer still. More and more specialism will be the
rule, and comprehensiveness or encyclopaediac-like attainments the
exception.