V. 



ON THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF THE NATURAL 

 HISTORY SCIENCES. 



THE subject to which I have to beg your attention during the 

 ensuing hour is &quot; The Relation of Physiological Science to other 

 branches of Knowledge.&quot; 



Had circumstances permitted of the delivery, in their strict 

 logical order, of that series of discourses of which the present 

 lecture is a member, I should have preceded my friend and 

 colleague Mr. Henfrey, who addressed you on Monday last ; but 

 while, for the sake of that order, I must beg you to suppose that 

 this discussion of the Educational bearings of Biology in general 

 docs precede that of Special Zoology and Botany, I am rejoiced to 

 be able to take advantage of the light thus already thrown upon 

 the tendency and methods of Physiological Science. 



Regarding Physiological Science, then, in its widest sense as 

 the equivalent of Biology the Science of Individual Life we 

 have to consider in succession : 



1. Its position and scope as a branch of knowledge. 



2. Its value as a means of mental discipline. 



3. Its worth as practical information. 

 And lastly, 



4. At what period it may best be made a branch of Education. 

 Our conclusions on the first of these heads must depend, of 



