41S TECHNICAL EDUCATION xvi 



had the chance of being as well taught as these 

 bo3's and girls are. 



But while in view of such an advance in general 

 education, I willingly obey the natural impulse to 

 be thankful, I am not willing altogether to rest. 

 I want to see instruction in elementary science 

 and in art more thoroughly incorporated in the 

 educational system. At present, it is being 

 administered by driblets, as if it were a potent 

 medicine, "^ a few drops to be taken occasionally in 

 a teaspoon." Every year I notice that that earnest 

 and untiring friend of yours and of mine. Sir 

 John Lubbock, stirs up the Government of the 

 day in the House of Commons on this subject; 

 and also that, every year, he, and the few mem- 

 bers of the House of Commons, such as Dr. Play- 

 fair, who sympathise with him, are met with ex- 

 pressions of warm admiration for science in 

 general, and reasons at large for doing nothing in 

 particular. But now that ^Ir. Forster, to whom 

 the education of the country owes so much, has 

 announced his conversion to tlie riglit faith, I 

 begin to hope that, sooner or later, things will 

 mend. 



I have given what I believe to be a good 

 reason for the assumption, that the keeping at 

 school of boys, who are to be handicraftsmen, 

 beyond the age of thirteen or fourteen is neither 

 practicable nor desirable; and, as it is quite cer- 

 tain, that, with justice to other and no less impor- 



