364 NATURAL SCIENCE. June, 



proper treatment of the subject be trained and brought towards 

 efficiency. One of the greatest ' bug-bears ' of botany is the host of 

 technical terms ; the value of these can, however, soon be taught by 

 the use of periphrases first, and the subsequent introduction of the 

 abbreviated expression, which can often be coined by members of a 

 class possessing even but a slight knowledge of Greek and Latin. 

 Interest in the subject can be readily roused and increased by slight 

 digressions (if such a term can be used), dealing with the relation of 

 plants to soils, and insects and other animals. Indeed we are of 

 opinion that in many schools no more stimulating scientific subject 

 can be included than this, though we doubt if as much system can be 

 introduced into the training thus afforded as into physics or chemistry. 



It is not often that there is found an advocate pleading for a 

 place for human physiology in a school course, and yet, as the Master 

 of Downing College points out, it is a subject which stands quite 

 alone in its unique power of attracting attention and exciting interest. 

 The opponents of physiology are not few, and the objections urged 

 against it are certainly not entirely groundless. Improperly handled 

 it may lead to an undesirable self-consciousness and loss of the bliss- 

 ful ignorant innocence of childhood — this the abuse of the subject. 

 Properly used there are few if any subjects which so readily arouse the 

 interest ; there is an undeniable fascination in knowing even a little of 

 how the fearfully and wonderfully made machine performs its work. 



Further, frequent opportunities occur of introducing other sub- 

 jects, such as the action of levers, elementary facts in hydrostatics, 

 the phenomena of refraction of light and formation of images, the 

 laws of sound — instances might be multiplied indefinitely. We have 

 ourselves more than once conducted courses of lectures in physiology 

 to pupils of from 15 to 17 years of age, and can testify to the 

 remarkable keenness invariably exhibited and to many budding 

 medical students who then for the first time realised that the study of 

 physics and chemistry was well worth the candle if it led to an under- 

 standing of the human body. 



Boys and girls are but human, and require, like many of their 

 elders, some stimulating and enlivening motive for their work : if a 

 boy can see, or thinks he can see what good his lessons are going to 

 be to him, he will work with zeal ; but what he cannot at all easily be 

 made to realise is that mental training in the abstract will create in 

 him habits and powers that will stand him in good stead in after life 

 whatever be his calling. It is the cut bono attitude that is the greatest 

 difficulty with most teachers. Boys do not desire to be educated, it is 

 enough for them if they be instructed in those subjects and the par- 

 ticular parts of subjects which will ' pay.' Physiology has this great 

 point in its favour : unknown to the pupil, a sufficient and absorbing 

 motive is introduced to help him over the more remote and arduous 

 paths leading to a knowledge of that most engrossing subject — 

 himself. 



