lii KEPOBT — 1855. 



2ndly. How are the students and proficients in science to he encouraged ? 



The measures which we have above described will not alone be sufficient to 

 effect the object we have in view. However attractive Natural Science may 

 be in itself, and it is impossible to over-estimate the pleasure which its study 

 affords to the majority of minds, it cannot be expected that many men will 

 piirsue it to any extent, so long as fellowships and the other university 

 prizes continue to be almost exclusively bestowed upon the students in other 

 departments of knowledge. In Oxford more particularly, to use Mr. 

 Grove's words, " the ridos, which has been eulogized by some, is peculiarly 

 antagonistic to the study of physical science. It is true that by the recent 

 statutes physics are recognized, but they are not made compulsory or neces- 

 sary From what I saw when resident at Oxford, the geimts loci is so 



far removed from such studies, that, unless they are made compulsory, or 

 tempting prizes are held out, the minds of young men will not for an indefinitely 

 long period be directed into that channel, and thus, though the examination 

 papers will look very well to the public, science will form no integral part of 

 a university education." 



Lord Rosse, again, in his last address to the Royal Society, has added his 

 testimony to that of the many eminent men who have deplored in common 

 the neglect of these studies at Oxford. " A man," says he, *' having taken a 

 first class in Uteris humanioribus, may be ignorant of physics in the most ele- 

 mentary form, and be incapable of comprehending the first principles of 

 machinery and manufactures, or of forming a just and enlarged conception 

 of the resources of this great country." 



And lastly, the Chancellor of Oxford himself has lately advocated the ex- 

 tension of these studies in an eloquent appeal addressed to the University 

 authorities on the occasion of founding the new museum. 



That important and instructive public document, the Report of the Oxford 

 University Commissioners, shows how little the rewards now held out to 

 students in mathematics at that university deserve to be denominated 

 " tempting " they are in truth utterly insufficient ; and unless the changes 

 about to be introduced, under the auspices of the Parliamentary Commis- 

 sioners, shall remedy this defect, we greatly fear that the anticipations above 

 expressed by Mr. Grove will only be too well realized. 



We are, however, convinced that the well-being of the nation would be 

 greatly promoted by an extension of scientific knowledge among all classes, 

 and that more encouragement in the shape of reward for successful exertion 

 must be provided before that desirable end can be accomplished. 



More numerous prizes ought to be provided at our universities ; and other 

 rewards and inducements both to study and to the prosecution of scientific 

 research should be held out by the State. 



It is important that the endowments of Professors, who are at present very 

 inadequately remunerated, should be augmented. Sir John Herschel mentions 

 the following " as one of the most directly beneficial steps which can be 

 taken by Government for the advancement of science itself, as well as for 

 the general diffusion of its principles: viz. to increase the number, and 

 materially improve the position, of the Professors of its several branches in all 

 our Universities and public educational establishments ; and to erect Local 

 Professorships in the chief provincial towns, independent of any University ; 

 and more especially to make better and indeed handsome provision in the 

 way of salary, for the Professors of those more abstract branches, which 

 cannot be rendered popular and attractive, and therefore self-remunerating 

 in the way of lectures." 



We direct particular attention to the last paragraph, from a conviction of 



