• 1826.] Mr, Stephens on British Chemical Instruction, 369 



form a geometrical progression ; whilst the variations in the 

 quantity of heat are uniform. From this the other conclusions 

 are easily deduced regarding the relation which subsists between, 

 p, g and t, when the quantity of heat is constant, as may be seen 

 in the paper referred to. 



1 am, Gentlemen, your very obedient servant, 



Henry Meikle. 



Article XII. 



Suggestions for the Improvement of the British System of Che- 

 mical Instruction, By Edward B. Stephens, Chemical As- 

 sistant to the Royal DubUn Society, 



Dec. 20, 1825. 



The method by which the science of chemistry has hitherto 

 been taught in public lectures throughout the united kingdom 

 appears to me susceptible of a variety of improvements. The 

 suggestions which I now offer in the hope of effecting these, are 

 not founded upon my judgment alone. Though not aware of 

 any similar observations in print, yet I am happy to state that 

 many individuals whose scientific acquirements, experience, and 

 rank in so.ciety give them an undoubted right to judge, coincide 

 with me in opinion. As their communications on the subject 

 have continually tended to guide and form my judgment, it is 

 but justice to state my obligations to them, and forego the 

 credit of originaUty for the weight of authority. 



The regular analytic course is certainly well calculated to 

 improve those who have previously acquired elementary and 

 experimental knowledge of the subject, and who wish to review 

 and systematically arrange in their memory, the facts already 

 stored in it ; but it is morally impossible for those not pre- 

 viously possessed of elementary knowledge to derive similar 

 advantages from attendance on such a course of instruction. 

 The series of lectures at present in fashion in these kingdoms 

 presupposes considerable information already attained. It is 

 evident from the refined style and learned tenor of the usual 

 course, that a chemical lecturer addresses his auditors both as 

 critics and pupils : he assumes that they are imbued with the 

 various literary and scientific knovs^ledge requisite to a clear 

 conception of his plan and language: that he need only allude 

 to the sister sciences of mineralogy, electricity, meteorology, 

 and pneumatics, to be perfectly understood ; and that expla- 

 nation and repetition at every step, would be alike tiresome and 

 useless. 



Now we alt know from our own experience, that few indeed 

 of those who attend a course of chemical lectures for the first 



^ew Series, vol. xii. 2 b 



