Mechanical Science. 325 



sugar, of tea, of articles of decent clothing, and of other matters 

 whereof the females and children should be partakers, there can be 

 no disputing about the advantageous nature of the change, and but 

 little ground for asserting that the general sum of prosperity were 

 lessened. The probability, on the contrary, is, that money thus 

 expended would afford greater means for employment throughout 

 the country in other branches of industry, and thus open additional 

 sources of prosperity to all. There is one consideration arising out 

 of this view of the subject which is of a painful character, and which, 

 if it were hopeless of cure, would be most disheartening to all who 

 desire that the moral progress of the people should advance at least 

 at an equal pace with their physical progress — it is, that among the 

 working classes so very large a portion of the earnings of the male 

 head of the family is devoted by him to his personal and sensual 

 gratifications. It has been computed that, among those whose earn- 

 ings are from 10s. to 15s. weekly at least one-half is spent by the 

 man upon objects in which the other members of the family have no 

 share. Among artisans, earning from 20s. to 30s. weekly, it is said 

 that at least one-third of the amount is in many cases thus selfishly 

 devoted. That this state of things need not be, and that, if the 

 people generally were better instructed as regards their social duties, 

 it would not be, may safely be inferred from the fact that it is rarely, 

 if ever, found to exist in the numerous cases where earnings not 

 greater than those of the artisan class are all that are gained by the 

 head of the family when employed upon matters where education is 

 necessary. Take even the case of a clerk, with a salary of £80 a 

 year, a small fraction beyond 30s. a week, and it would be consider- 

 ed quite exceptional if it were found that anything approaching to a 

 fourth part of the earnings were spent upon objects in which the wife 

 and children should have no share. The peer, the merchant, the 

 clerk, the artisan, and the labourer, are all of the same nature, born 

 with the same propensities and subject to the like infl-uences. It is 

 true they are placed in very different circumstances — the chief dif- 

 ference being that of their early training — one, happily, which it is 

 quite possible in some degree to remedy, and that by means which 

 would in many ways add to the sum of the nation's prosperity and 

 respectability. 



Section G. — Mechanical Science. 



President. — Rev. Dr Robinson. 

 Viee-Pretidents. — Mr Geouge Buchanan, Professor Gordon, Mr Thomas 

 Grainqkr, Mr John Scott Russell. 

 Secretaries. — Dr Lees and Mr David Stevenson. 

 CoiHTHittee. — Mr John Taylor, Mr James Nasmyth, Mr Robert Napier, Mr 

 Roberts, Mr James Leslie, Professor Fischer, Major-General Paaley, 

 Mr Thomas Stevenson, Mr Whitworth, Mr J. G. Appold, Mr P. Osier, 

 Mr S. Downing, Mr J Miller. 



