--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that natural history has lost…" description: "\"I believe that natural history has lost much by the vague general treatment that is so common.\" — Ernest Thompson Seton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/ernest-thompson-seton-24923_belief_i-believe-that-natural-history-has-lost_1942449.jpg" --- # I believe that natural history has lost much by the vague… ![“I believe that natural history has lost much by the vague general treatment that is so common.” quote by Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/ernest-thompson-seton-24923_belief_i-believe-that-natural-history-has-lost_1942449.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/ernest-thompson-seton-24923_belief_i-believe-that-natural-history-has-lost_1942449.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5e/ernest-thompson-seton-24923_belief_i-believe-that-natural-history-has-lost_1942449.jpg) > “I believe that natural history has lost much by the vague general treatment that is so common.” [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Natural history suffers from overly vague, generalized treatment, losing depth and detail. **In simple terms:** Natural history is too vague often. Key Takeaway Seek precise, detailed study of nature. Themes science history detail Mood analytical critical Type scholarly reflective When to use this quote - field research - museum curation - academic writing Key Concepts taxonomy ecology historical context Questions to Reflect On - What details are most overlooked? - How can we balance breadth and depth? A Different Perspective Broad overviews can miss critical nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Natural history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-history/) [Treatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treatment/) [Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague/) ## Related quotes > [In his Philosophy of Style, Herbert Spencer gives two sentences to illustrate how the vague and general can be turned into the vivid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-strunk-jr/in-his-philosophy-of-style-herbert-spencer-gives-two-sentences-to/) [William Strunk, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-strunk-jr/) > [“‎Without a knowledge of where words come from, things disappear, history is lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lane/without-a-knowledge-of-where-words-come-from-things-disappear-history/) Patrick Lane > [Instead of a priority, you made me an option. So now youre history, lost and forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laine/instead-of-a-priority-you-made-me-an-option-so-now-youre-history-lost/) [Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laine/) > [The most common characteristic of women's history is to be lost and discovered, lost again and rediscovered, lost once more and re-rediscovered - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/the-most-common-characteristic-of-women-s-history-is-to-be-lost-and/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [We live in a time where there's a great deal of navel-gazing with the devices that we have that occupy so much of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ng-chin-han/we-live-in-a-time-where-there-s-a-great-deal-of-navel-gazing-with-the/) [Ng Chin Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ng-chin-han/) > [History is our guide, and without a knowledge of history, we are lost!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/history-is-our-guide-and-without-a-knowledge-of-history-we-are-lost/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [So much history can be lost if no one tells the story -- so that's what I do. 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Lost and forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-made-me-an-option-now-i-m-going-to-make-you-history-lost-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“More than half of our history is lost, not because they were not documented, but they had no guardians and protectors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/more-than-half-of-our-history-is-lost-not-because-they-were-not/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [If you don't recount your family history, it will be lost. Honor your own stories and tell them too. The tales may not seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/if-you-don-t-recount-your-family-history-it-will-be-lost-honor-your/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Instead of a priority, you made me an option. 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This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) ## More by Ernest Thompson Seton > [There are no Rabbits in the north-west. This statement, far from final, is practically true today, but I saw plenty of Lynxes, and one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/there-are-no-rabbits-in-the-north-west-this-statement-far-from-final/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [“Not Carnegie, Vanderbilt, and Astor together could have raised money enough to buy a quarter share in my little dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/not-carnegie-vanderbilt-and-astor-together-could-have-raised-money/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [Fort Smith, being the place of my longest stay, was the scene of my largest medical practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/fort-smith-being-the-place-of-my-longest-stay-was-the-scene-of-my/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [The life of a wild animal always has a tragic end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/the-life-of-a-wild-animal-always-has-a-tragic-end/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [The name Peace River itself is the monument of a successful effort on the part of the Company to bring about a better understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/the-name-peace-river-itself-is-the-monument-of-a-successful-effort-on/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [Amid the cheering of the crowds, he hardly heard his master's voice, but he saw the familiar head and shoulders, and the bright flag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/amid-the-cheering-of-the-crowds-he-hardly-heard-his-master-s-voice/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [How much service have I rendered to my people?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/how-much-service-have-i-rendered-to-my-people/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [“Thar is two things that every national crisis is bound to show up: first, a lot o' dum fools in command; second, lot o…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/thar-is-two-things-that-every-national-crisis-is-bound-to-show-up/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [At this camp I had the unique experience of showing all these seasoned Westerners that it was possible to make a fire by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/at-this-camp-i-had-the-unique-experience-of-showing-all-these/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [We were now back at Smith Landing, and fired with a desire to make another Buffalo expedition on which we should have ampler time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/we-were-now-back-at-smith-landing-and-fired-with-a-desire-to-make/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [The ancient feud between cat and dog is not forgotten in the north, for the Lynx is the deadly foe of the Fox and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/the-ancient-feud-between-cat-and-dog-is-not-forgotten-in-the-north/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [I have only one prejudice in horseflesh - I do not like a white one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/i-have-only-one-prejudice-in-horseflesh-i-do-not-like-a-white-one/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [The Hudson's Bay Company has always been the guardian angel of the north.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/the-hudson-s-bay-company-has-always-been-the-guardian-angel-of-the/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [“The culture and civilization of the White man are essentially material; his measure of success is, "How much property have I acquired for myself?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/the-culture-and-civilization-of-the-white-man-are-essentially/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [The white spruce forest along the banks is most inspiring, magnificent here. Down the terraced slopes and right to the water's edge on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/the-white-spruce-forest-along-the-banks-is-most-inspiring-magnificent/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) [Explore all 23 Ernest Thompson Seton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? 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Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. 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