22o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



fore scientific discovery pointed to better things, there was naturally 

 and necessarily a return to ancient Greece and Rome. The direction 

 thus given to education could not but bring it to pass that the facts 

 of the Greek and Latin languages should be both the most numerous 

 and the best classified of any facts in the possession of men. The 

 study of Greek and Latin was a way of delivei'ance from scholasti- 

 cism, and as such was best calculated to educate the entire man. We 

 see the historical and rational ground for that supremacy which was 

 enjoyed by the classical languages in all educational undertakings. 

 This supremacy, resting on most facts best classified, would necessa- 

 rily give way before any other subject-matter presenting an equal or 

 greater number of facts as well or better classified. Now, it is a claim 

 unqualifiedly put forth by those able to judge, that the physical sci- 

 ences offer more facts under better classification than do Latin, Greek, 

 psychology, ethics, history, or any other non-material study. This is 

 a simple question of fact, if, indeed, it be a question at all. Allowing 

 the claim, we shall conclude that the physical sciences have full right 

 to take their places by the side of the classical languages so far as 

 promoting the activities of the intellect is concerned. This disposes of 

 the question of discipline. To analyze, synthesize, and remember, is 

 to organize knowledge. When full opportunity is given for such men- 

 tal operations the requirements of mental discipline are realized. Edu- 

 cation, however, is something more than mental discipline. Education 

 is the development of man's complex nature. When we discuss the 

 question of material, therefore, we must discuss it in the light of man's 

 nature. The question as to the relative value of knoicledgesMr. Spen- 

 cer considers in his first article, and he does so, be it carefully observed, 

 from a different education-idea. He says, " To prepare us for complete 

 living is the function which education has to discharge." I would 

 amend this, and say, to prepare us for complete being, complete becom- 

 ing, is the function which education has to discharge. Here is not a 

 distinction without a difference. Had Mi*. Spencer's language stood 

 isolated from the rest of his article, it would have been possible to 

 find in his words, "complete living," what is contained in the words 

 "complete being." Connected, however, with Mr. Spencer's classifi- 

 cation of human activities, with the principle on which this classifica- 

 tion is based, and with the whole tenor of his article, the " complete 

 living " presents, as it is intended to present, the practical, physical 

 idea. Man is viewed as the producer, the one who brings things to 

 pass, the one who adjusts himself to his environment. I remember 

 all that Mr. Spencer has said about yielding to no one in his estima- 

 tion of a?sthetical development, but I also remember these words : " As 

 the fine arts occupy the leisure part of life, so should they occupy the 

 leisure part of education"; and these words : "Here we see most dis- 

 tinctly the vice of our educational system ; it neglects the plant for 

 the flower," which may be true, and the supreme value of the flower 



