28 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



we largely owe the present position of geology among the 

 sciences. 



Now the study of the modern changes of the earth and its 

 inhabitants is physical geography pure and simple ; and if 

 physical geography be properly taught, it introduces us rightly 

 to the study of geology in general. 



Its value as an educational instrument was clearly recognised 

 by Huxley, when in 1877 he published his Physiography, as any 

 one who will read the preface to that work will see. At that 

 time the term " physical geography " was under a cloud, owing 

 to the character of many of the educational works which were 

 devoted to it ; and Huxley borrowed his title from another 

 science because he " wished to draw a clear line of demarcation, 

 both as to matter and method, between it and what is commonly 

 understood by ' physical geography.' " 



Huxley's method is well known : it was to give his readers 

 " in very broad but, I hope, accurate outlines, a view of the 

 ' place in nature ' of a particular district of England, the basin 

 of the Thames," and he expressed his opinion that any intelligent 

 teacher would " have no difficulty in making use of the river 

 and river basin of the district in which his own school is 

 situated for the same purpose." 



Unfortunately a large number of teachers have been unable 

 to apply this method, owing to the issue by the Science and Art 

 Department of a syllabus of physiography which necessitates 

 a treatment of the subject very different from that which Huxley 

 advocated. His treatment was simple and scientific : that of the 

 trainer of candidates for the examinations held by the Science 

 and Art Department complex, and too often," alas ! of the nature 

 of " cram." Who can give boys and girls a truly scientific 

 explanation of the theory of tides ? How much better are they 

 for such information as they can obtain concerning terrestrial 

 magnetism ? And what matters it to them whether the shape 

 of the earth approaches more closely to that of the orange or of 

 the pear, and if it be oblately spheroidal or geoidal ? 



The latter-day physiography is, no doubt, like Latin repetition 

 or a list of the reigns of the kings and queens of England with 

 dates, excellent for cultivating the memory, but for developing 

 the reasoning powers it leaves much to be desired. Its teachers 

 have adopted the methods and included the subjects which 

 Huxley wished to avoid; but, in the meantime, text-books on 



