EVERYDAY OBJECTS
MURRAY AND GIBB, EDINBURGH,
PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE.
EVERYDAY OBJECTS.
(Frontispiece.)
Everyday Objects
or
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS.
EDITED AND ENLARGED BY
W. H. DAVENPORT ADAMS,
AUTHOR OF "THE CIRCLE OF THE YEAR," "SWORD AND PEN,"
"BEFORE THE CONQUEST," ETC.
WILLIAM P. NIMMO:
LONDON: 14 KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND;
AND EDINBURGH.
1876.
PREFACE.
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The very favourable reception accorded both byPress and Public to the "Circle of the Year,"has induced me to prepare a second volume,similar in design, but dealing with different branchesof the same subject. As the former was founded onthe first series of a popular French work, "LesSaisons," by M. Hoefer, so the present has beensuggested by the second series; but in availing myselfof it, I have omitted much, I have revised more, andat various parts my additions have been considerable.And here, as in my former effort, I have written froma popular rather than a scientific point of view. It has[viii]not been my object to sketch the outlines or lay downthe foundations of any science; but to show, as best I could,how much of wonder and beauty enters into our daily life, andwhat inexhaustible sources of study lie at our very feet. It is,perhaps, a misfortune of our common systems of educationthat they too much neglect the tuition of the eye; that theyoung are not taught to mark the curious and interestingobjects which are comprehended within their daily vision;that they know so much about ancient mythology and so littleabout modern science,—so much about gods and heroes, solittle about stars and flowers.
I have called this volume "Everyday Objects," not becausethose which it describes may be seen every day, butbecause they mostly belong to the region of the commonplaceand familiar; and I have called it "Picturesque Aspectsof Natural History," because I have endeavoured, in companionshipwith my French collaborateur, to indicate thepoetical side o