When I was a kid my father had me enrolled in a book club that sent a classic to our home every month or so. One was Wild Animals I Have Known by Ernest Thompson Seton, and the picture you see above is the cover for the edition I had. It was about wolves and other creatures Thompson Seton had encountered as he explored wilderness areas. Thompson Seton is now credited with being among the first to write fiction about animals in a realistic manner. When I was "stuck" in Santa Fe last week I visited the newly opened Museum of History and discovered a major exhibit devoted to Thompson Seton called Wild at Heart. http://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/news.php?id=107 He came to New Mexico to hunt wolves professionally and became a naturalist and eventually a protector of wolves.
To my surprise I discovered that Thompson Seton grew up near Lindsay Ontario, not far from Bowmanville, then Toronto, where he studied art. He made his way to New Mexico via Manitoba and the state became his adopted home.
The exhibit also mentioned Thompson Seton's deepening sense of the spiritual in the natural world as he grew older. He sensed a profound presence in nature, and felt that the spirituality of Native people was earth-honouring in a way the invading culture had forgotten. I think we have forgotten, to our great detriment. I would like to think that Christianity can reaffirm a spirituality of creation care which is reflected in many passages in the Older Testament, but also evident in Jesus' awareness of the created order.
To my surprise I discovered that Thompson Seton grew up near Lindsay Ontario, not far from Bowmanville, then Toronto, where he studied art. He made his way to New Mexico via Manitoba and the state became his adopted home.
The exhibit also mentioned Thompson Seton's deepening sense of the spiritual in the natural world as he grew older. He sensed a profound presence in nature, and felt that the spirituality of Native people was earth-honouring in a way the invading culture had forgotten. I think we have forgotten, to our great detriment. I would like to think that Christianity can reaffirm a spirituality of creation care which is reflected in many passages in the Older Testament, but also evident in Jesus' awareness of the created order.
Have you heard of Ernest Thompson Seton? Have any of you read Wild Animals I Have Known?
My older brother had that book. Also a couple on or about woodland lore, canoes etc. Seaton was also Chief Scout for the Boy Scout Movement in the States.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard Seaton till today, David. Interesting that he grew up in Lindsay. When I was younger, my animal author of choice was Thorton W. Burgess. Each week, I couldn't wait to go to the library to get the next book in the series. For my brother, the animal author of choice was Jack London and "Call of the Wild".
ReplyDeleteThe exhibit noted Thompson Seton's scouting role Laurie, so thanks for mentioning it.
ReplyDeleteSusan, one of life's great pleasures for me is the "I didn't know that" moments. This blog gives me the opportunity to share some of them.