Delations of Natural History to Geology and the Arts. 211 



and fossil, as are necessary to the accurate conduct of geological re- 

 search, and have thereby a practical and economic bearing, through 

 the certainty they give to geological determinations. A second and 

 distinct duty, hereafter to be performed, will be the illustration of the 

 application of natural history knowledge to the arts and manufactures. 



Of all the departments of the educational system adopted in this 

 Institution, mine is apparently the least practical. The chemist, 

 the metallurgist, the mechanician, come directly into contact with 

 the arts and their votaries. The miner furnishes the materials 

 from which so much of the riches of England is derived. The geo- 

 logist investigates the structure of the country, and thus gives cer- 

 tainty to the operations of the engineer, develops new sources of 

 mineral and agricultural wealth, and prevents the expenditure of 

 capital in wrong directions. Ail men understand why the manu- 

 facturer and artisan are indebted to the chemist and metallurgist, 

 whose obligations to the miner and the geologist are too evident not 

 to be freely acknowledged by themselves and those who benefit by 

 their pursuits. But the naturalist seems to work apart from practi- 

 cal men. His duties are performed behind the scenes, and make no 

 conspicuous show. His share in the work can be fully appreciated 

 only by the geologist, whose requirements necessarily lead him into 

 the pala3ontological laboratories. Like a labourer among the foun- 

 dations of an edifice, he is unseen by the crowd who admire the 

 beautiful superstructure, though without his labour the building 

 would be unsafe and incomplete. It needs but a brief argument to 

 prove this to an intelligent audience. 



That geology is an essential element of a scientific mining educa- 

 tion is obvious at first thought. That natural history should be, 

 may not seem so evident to persons as yet unversed in geology. 

 That palaeontology is an essential element of geological science, no one 

 who is acquainted with the rules by which the relative ages of sedi- 

 mentary rocks are determined will deny. And that palaeontology, 

 apart from natural history, is empirical and false, and has no claims 

 to the dignified title of science, every intelligent student of organic 

 remains will maintain. Therefore, the teaching of the study of 

 fossils in this Institution is to be conducted with constant reference 

 to, and comparison with, living organisms ; for by no other method 

 can we hope to gain an insight into the history of the manifestations 

 of life during the geological past, such as is necessary for the truly 

 scientific, and, consequently, safely practical^ study of geological 

 science and its applications. 



The value of natural history as an educational science has been 

 but partially recognised in Britain. In our schools and colleges, 

 the chief cultivation has been directed to the nurture and training 

 of the memory, the reasoning powers, and taste; not always by the 

 most judicious methods. Observation, a faculty upon the correct 

 exercise of which the value of the others in a great measure must 



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