1858.] Faraday, on Wheatstone's Electric Telegraph. 565 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 



Friday, June 11. 



The Duke op Northumberland, K.G. F.R.S. President, 

 in the Chair. 



Professor Faraday, D.C.L. F.R.S. 



On Wheatstone*s Electric Telegraph in relation to Science {being 

 an argument in favour of the full recognition of Science as a 

 branch of Edtication). 



The development of the applications of physical science in modern 

 times has become so large and so essential to the well-being of man 

 that it may justly be used, as illustrating the true character of pure 

 science, as a department of knowledge, and the claims it may have 

 for consideration by Governments, Universities, and all bodies to 

 whom is confided the fostering care and direction of learning. As 

 a branch of learning, men are beginning to recognize the right of 

 science to its own particular place ; — for though flowing in channels 

 utterly different in their course and end to those of literature, it 

 conduces not less, as a means of instruction, to the discipline of the 

 mind ; whilst it ministers, more or less, to the wants, comforts, and 

 proper pleasure, both mental and bodily, of every individual of every 

 class in life. Until of late years, the education for, and recogni- 

 tion of, it by the bodies which may be considered as governing the 

 general course of all education, have been chiefly directed to it 

 only as it could serve professional services, — namely, those which 

 are remunerated by society ; but now the fitness of university 

 degrees in science is under consideration, and many are taking a 

 high view of it, as distinguished from literature, and think that it 

 may well be studied for its own sake, i.e. as a proper exercise of 

 the human intelligence, able to bring into action and development 

 all the powers of the mind. As a branch of learning, it has 

 (without reference to its applications) become as extensive and 

 varied as literature ; and it has this privilege, that it must ever 

 go on increasing. Thus it becomes a duty to foster, direct, and 

 honour it, as literature is so guided and recognised ; and the duty is 

 the more imperative, as we find by the unguided progress of science 

 and the experience it supplies, that of those men who devote them- 

 selves to studious education, there are as many whose minds are 

 constitutionally disposed to the studies supplied by it, as there are 

 of others more fitted by inclination and power to pursue literature. 



