vastly more important knowledge of actual things and scientific relations which might have been conveyed to them in their mother-tongues. On this knowledge, joined with Christianity and more correct views than formerly of social economy,—the last-mentioned still rapidly advancing, the modern civilization of the world is based. Moreover, there is, under the title of comparative philology, or the philosophy of language generally, a higher and more profitable study of language than in labouring on the details of any one language except those of the mothertongue, which every person should well know. * 13. The writer of this, because advocating so strongly the study of natural science, has been thought by some not to attach due importance to the ancient classics, but wrongly. He has much regretted the waste of time caused by faulty modes of teaching, holding strongly the opinion of Milton, himself for some time a teacher, as given in the following words of his well-known letter to Mr. Hartlib:-"We do amiss to spend seven or eight years in merely scraping together as much miserable Latin and Greek as might be learnt otherwise easily and delightfully in one year." Knowledge of Latin, besides giving access to the admirable literature of the language, confers, in the present state of things, also incidental advantages. It is essential to a student of medicine, who will have to write prescriptions in Latin. It serves as a means of obtaining scholarships at the University. It greatly aids the study of the modern languages of Europe. * 14. When the writer of these pages went to the University, the progress in the world of new discovery in science and arts had become very rapid. Watt had just completed his improved steam-engine, and ingenious men everywhere were labouring to adapt it to the many purposes it was capable of serving. Hence in the class-room the interest had become intense of the lessons given which showed that the greater part of the phenomena of nature were consequences of a very few simple laws of motion and change, intelligible to ordinary comprehension, and which ordinary ability might afterwards apply to use. * 15. The writer, after leaving college, was so frequently a witness of advantages arising to persons who had physical knowledge, and of evils suffered by persons who wanted it, while he believed that instruction in such matters might be rendered more easy and attractive than usual by some changes in the mode of teaching, among others, by avoiding obscure technical language-that on his returning from abroad to settle in London as a physician, he undertook to deliver, in the Philomathic Institution near his residence, a course of lectures on Natural Philosophy and Chemistry. In the printed announcement, he pointed out the need of such knowledge to persons, not of one, but of all classes (as repeated in the Introduction to this work at page xxv.). In regard, for instance, to the medical profession, he said, Where, to illustrate mechanics, is to be found a system of levers and hinges and moving parts like the limbs of an animal body? where such a hydraulic apparatus as in the heart and blood vessels; such pneumatic apparatus as in the breathing chest ; such acoustic instruments as in the ear and larynx; such optical instruments as in the eye; and, in a word, such variety and perfection as in the whole of the visible anatomy? In regard, also, to the education of women, it might be observed that in England now, not only in palaces but in ordinary dwellings, there are branching pipes for water supply, other pipes for gas, with meters and burners; then a variety of fireplaces to maintain healthful temperature in winter, arrangements for required ventilation, well-closed house drains, &c. Among these, owing to ignorance or neglect of servants, accidents frequently occur, causing great annoyance and often danger; against which there is great security where the eye of an intelligent mistress glances over the proceedings. * 16. Professional occupation prevented the repetition of these lectures. Afterwards, however, in the various medical societies, some views were put forth by Sir David Barry and others on the circulation of the blood, which erred in stating that the force moving the current in the veins was atmospheric pressure. The author's opinion was requested, and he afterwards gave a few lectures, including that subject. Not having leisure to repeat these, he published the Elements of Physics for general use, written in plain non-technical language, even in dealing with mathematical relations. * 17. That such a book was wanted, not only for England, but for the other countries of Europe, seemed proved by the new editions quickly called for, the reprints in North America, and the translations made into the principal European languages. The notices of the book by contributors to the public press gave so instructive and useful a view of the state of the public mind in regard to common education, that a few extracts from the large number are here reprinted in page 46. * 18. When, in 1836, Government founded the University of London, then so much wanted, and now so signally prospering, the author had the honour to be appointed a member of the Senate. Among the labours of the senate was the arrangement of a new curriculum, or course of study, more extended than before, to be pursued by candidates for the university degrees and honours, as suited to the progressing condition of society, which now opens the way to high appointments, civil and military, at home and abroad, through competitive examinations in general useful knowledge. The natural sciences of Physics and Chemistry were there included as fundamental parts of the course. It was at first objected by some parties that more was required than ordinary students could bring to the test. But experience has since proved that this fear was vain; and in the older universities, and in some of the higher public schools, professors or teachers of experimental physics have since been appointed. It is known that science, when perfected or even only advanced, is often more easily learned than in its earlier stages. A person may now learn more of astronomy in a week than, before Newton had written, he could have learned in a year or more. * 19. The author of these pages cordially joined his enlightened colleagues in labouring to widen the curriculum. He was requested by the senate to act on the committee which drew up the novel and important scheme of study for the degrees of Bachelor and Doctor in Science, to be conferred after examination in the fundamental sciences of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Life and Mental Philosophy, passing more lightly over the Languages, with the exception of our own. *20. As marking that the author had reason to feel strongly the obligation which scholars contract towards the school and teachers where they are trained; but chiefly because he desires to awaken in the public mind a just appreciation of the importance in general education of the department of Natural Philosophy, called by Lord Bacon the root or foundation of the other sciences-he mentions the following incidents. When the class-rooms where he had studied were to be rebuilt in 1830, he returned to the building fund, the amount of the scholarship which he had enjoyed when first a student there; and when, six years ago, the two university colleges of Aberdeen were united to constitute one, he offered through Provost Webster an adequate sum to allow of the lectures on Natural Philosophy being given where he himself had studied, near the centre of the town, some of the lectures being left open, as had been practised before, to inhabitants of the town, for a moderate fee, without matriculation.* Mrs. Arnott, with the same views and wishes in regard to the study of elementary Natural Philosophy by those of her own sex, has made endowments to two Ladies' Colleges in London-the Queen's College in Harley Street, and the Bedford Square College. And lastly, arrangements have been made that the profit arising from the sale of this work shall serve to lower its price for general use, and, if the demand for it continue, shall procure fit editorial assistance for future publication, to keep it up to the level of the state of science at the time. The entire work is now sold for the price of the first half of the work when originally published separately.† *The circumstances of the University induced him to substitute for that offer a Scholarship of £50 in Natural Philosophy, which has been accepted by the Senatus, and is awarded at the end of the sessions. † The last pages tell, how important in the education of a people the knowledge of Physics or Natural Philosophy is. Of its full value, however, the popular mind was so little aware, that until lately it was not a part of the prescribed course of study in our public schools and colleges. There is another portion of knowledge, also of high value, which has been similarly misappreciated, and which is therefore referred to here; namely, the fact that human enlightenment, and consequently Civilization, is in its nature slowly progressive. As a child is born into the world utterly ignorant of all that exists there, and acquires knowledge of things and of the course of change among them only according to the opportunities of observation offered and the artificial aids in teaching provided by seniors; so has the human race as a whole had gradually to advance during ages, from profound original ignorance to the now existing state of knowledge and arts. Study of the steps of past progress tends strongly to quicken further progress. The author has reviewed this subject in detail, in a volume (second edition) published with the title of A Survey of Human Progress. It is really a treatise on Education, which attempts through simple arrangement and language to render a subject which has been deemed obscure, so intelligible to common minds, as to serve both as a direction for the studies of individuals and as a help to those planning new legislative enactments 'at present required in relation to education generally. It is interesting to contemplate the very close resemblance in bodily constitution between man and the higher orders of inferior animals, as the lion and tiger, which, like him, eat flesh for their sustenance, and then to consider the immeasurable superiority of the intellectual faculties of the human mind or soul to the feeble shadows of these, named instincts, in brute animals. One particular in the comparison is, that man has very clear foresight of much that is to happen in the future, and with his power of devising great variety of means to effect ends, he can modify greatly the course of nature to answer innumerable purposes. Man can foretell to within a few beats of a pendulum the coming on of an eclipse, a thousand years before it happens; whereas a lion can form but a dim conception of any one day in the coming week. Man and these inferior animals have bodies consisting of like bone and flesh, in form of external parts for locomotion and other actions, as in obtaining food, and of internal parts which convert the food into blood, to circulate through the heart and branching channels to every point. They all have a brain and nerves, and connected with these, sensory organs of touch, seeing, hearing, taste, and smell. They all sleep and wake, they all are born, and grow old, and die. They all require an unfailing supply of nourishment, fresh air, and warmth, dependent more or less on their own exertion; and if any one of these is not supplied, they quickly die. The inferior animal, when aroused by its appetites and instincts, being short-sighted, knows no other or better mode of gratifying its want, of food for instance, than, when a fit object is seen, to seize it at once, and then to kill and devour, utterly regardless of the suffering inflicted. There is, therefore, violence, cruelty, and death preceding the repast; and there is necessarily unceasing war between the stronger creature which eats and the weaker races which are to be eaten. Man, on the contrary, by his penetrating foresight and power of devising, joined with quick susceptibility to compassion and benevolence, sees the possibility of obtaining all he needs in unlimited abundance and at all times, through gentleness, judicious care, and general kindness, instead of through brutish violence. This is seen in that most precious of his inventions, the art of taming certain animals and raising flocks and herds. Such animals he protects from their natural enemies; he shelters them from the inclemencies of the weather, he provides for them abundant food through all the seasons. From the beginning of their lives to the end they need never have a pain, either actual or apprehended, thus exhibiting a striking contrast to the fate of animals in the wild state, called that of nature, with their fierce enemies always near them; and when at last the owner wants the body of a sheep after its life has ceased, the death may be so sudden that there has not been time to feel pain, and the creature has merely left room for another like itself to inherit its happy lot. Then in the dealings of human beings with one another the same noble reason with foresight soon discovers to them that by practising universally perfect justice and benevolence, in lieu of the narrow selfishness of inferior animals, all painful rivalry and disagreements may be avoided, and the satisfactions of human existence may be increased illimitably. The golden rule of human conduct, easily understood by common apprehension, is—to act always towards others as one would wish to be treated if the relations of the parties were reversed. Man with abundance of the prime necessaries of life always at command, and freed from all anxiety respecting the future, is at liberty to employ his whole time, and his high mental powers, in devising numberless new arts to multiply and enhance his enjoyments. He can gradually convert what was once a desert into a noble city like London. His powerful memory retains knowledge of the results of his own experience, and through language, he may obtain from others and from books knowledge of the most interesting occurrences which have happened in preceding time. The steady course of |