Evening star., 1936-04-06

believes that even such peering as he
is able to do gives him a vastly better
outlook in life. greater appreciation Of
all things, and, above all, greater
respect for the men and women who
devote their lives to the particulars of
close study Of some one phase, often
minute, of the mysteries Of Nature.
He belives 1t a good thing to know
as many scientific names Of plants as
he can master. II his memory fails him
often, he has but to turn back to his
books to remind himself of many inter-
esting and wonderful things.
When he finishes his big book on
vitaminS, for instance, he will have
added few facts, he hopes, to his own
store as well as immensely to his appre-
citation for man, the curious animal.
~
Spring, through the eyes Of some one
who knows bit Of botany, is altogether
different and more beautiful process
than it is to him who knows nothing at
all Of plant life.
We repeat, that this knowledge need
| not be great, that 1t may be veritable
smattering. indeed, still 1t gives the
holder new approach to many things.
The more such smatterings he has, in
the daily life, the better of he is from
this standpoint Of appreciation.
The poet who. in love OF beauty,
immortaliZes the lark in few lines,
| or sings the charm of the fringed gen.
tian, may know nothing Of scientific
nomenclature. To him such Is not
necessary; Is he not poet?
But ordinary men of prose, compris-
| ing most of those who walk the world
at any one time, need something to
take the place of the fine frenzy.
This element is supplied exactly by a
little knowledge.
Though this knowledge may be ex-
| tremely limited, from the strict stand
point, it is enough to enable its possesor
to look with vast appreciation on all
natural phenomena.
1t helps build up some Of the better
| sentiments In human nature, at the same
| time 1t binds together the history Of man
| from the earliest ages.
He who has some knowledge, for in
| stance. of biology, especially as set forth
| in the herbal lore of the nations since
earliest times, sees lowly plants, often
called weeds, in an entirely new light.
When he realizes that these nose drops
| containing what we moderns proudly
call "ephedrine" really date back to the
| ancient days of China, being derived
from a plant long held in esteem by
| them, although they knew not why. we
must have a new respect both for faith
and learning.
If we learn to respect the birds in
their homes called nests, we have a
greater appreciation for the struggles Of
man, through the dark ages of time and
| place. A nest is out at the tip of a
branch, a slender bough. We wonder
why some bird placed it there, and
realize it was to get away from enemies.
We realize that all living things have
enemies. and we shall not escape, in all
probability. The thirst for the criminals
blood is subdued when we realize that
he has been summoned just a little
ahead of the rest of us. We are all
under orders to be executed, some by
heart, some by lungs, some because Of
too few red corpuscles in the blood some
because of too many white. A saving
grace is needed by all.
knowledge. knowledge, knowledge!
No man ever had enough knowledge
even when it hurt. It is the great eye
of the universe, the open sesame into
all that lies around and beyond. Even
Springs immortal song is Sweeter be-
! cause we know something.