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To find out what a thing is called is a great help. It is the beginning of knowledge. It is the first step. When we see a new person who interests us, we wish to know his or her name. A bird, a flower, a place- the first thing we wish to know about it is it's name. It's name gives us a handle to grasp it by; it sheds a ray of light where all before was darkness. As soon as we know the name of a thing, we seem to have established some sort of relationship with it.

From The Complete Nature Writings of John Burroughs
Published 1894