NATURE AND MAN. 441 



is not dead. Only a few decades have passed — a mere fraction of her 

 lifetime — since she was free from the oppression of grammar-school 

 studies, and sent forth Eobert Boyle and Christopher Wren to estab- 

 lish the new philosophy of the invisible college in London. She seems, 

 to some of us, to have been used not quite wisely, perhaps not quite 

 fairly, in the brief period which has elapsed since that time. Why 

 should she not shake herself free again, and give, hereafter, most, if 

 not the whole, of her wealth and strength to the urgent work which is 

 actually pursued in every other university of the world as a chief aim 

 and duty? 



The fact that Oxford attracts the youth of the country to her, and 

 so determines the education offered in the great schools, is a sufficient 

 answer to those who wish to perpetuate the present employment of 

 her resources in the subvention and encouragement of comparatively 

 unimportant, though fascinating (even too fascinating), studies, to 

 the neglect of the pressing necessary knowledge of nature. Those 

 who enjoy great influence in the affairs of the university tell us with 

 pride that Oxford not only determines what our best schools shall 

 teach, but has, as a main preoccupation, the education of statesmen, 

 pro-consuls, leaders of the learned professions, and members of parlia- 

 ment ! Undoubtedly this claim is well-founded, and its truth is the 

 reason why we can not be content with the maintenance by the uni- 

 versity of the compulsory study of Greek and Latin, and the neglect 

 to make the study of nature an integral and predominant part of 

 every man's education. 



To return to my original contention — the knowledge and control 

 of nature is man's destiny and his greatest need. To enable future 

 leaders of the community to comprehend this, to perceive what the 

 knowledge and control of nature are, and what are the steps by which 

 they are gained and increased, is the duty of a great university. To 

 neglect this is to retard the approach of well-being and happiness, and 

 to injure humanity. 



I beg, finally, for toleration from those who do not share my 

 opinions. I am well aware that they are open to the objection that 

 they partake more of the nature of dreams of the future than of 

 practical proposals. That, perhaps, may be accepted as my excuse for 

 indulging in them on such an occasion as the present. There are, and 

 always have been, dreamers in Oxford, and beautiful dreams they have 

 dreamed — some of the past, and some of the future. The most fasci- 

 nating dreams are not, unfortunately, always realized; but it is some- 

 times worth while to tell one's dream, for that may bring it a step 

 nearer to ' coming true.' 



