vi.] ON THE STUDY OF ZOOLOGY. 101 



countries of the world are, what they are, and how they have 

 become what they are. 



Without doubt all these are most fitting and excellent things 

 to teach a boy ; I should be very sorry to omit any of them 

 from any scheme of primary intellectual education. The system 

 is excellent, so far as it goes. 



But if I regard it closely, a curious reflection arises. I 

 suppose that, fifteen hundred years ago, the child of any well- 

 to-do Roman citizen was taught just these same things ; reading 

 and writing in his own, and, perhaps, the Greek tongue; the 

 elements of mathematics ; and the religion, morality, history, 

 and geography current in his time. Furthermore, I do not 

 think I err in affirming, that, if such a Christian Roman boy, 

 who had finished his education, could be transplanted into one 

 of our public schools, and pass through its course of instruction, 

 he would not meet with a single unfamiliar line of thought ; 

 amidst all the new facts he would have to learn, not one would 

 suggest a different mode of regarding the universe from that 

 current in his own time. 



And yet surely there is some great difference between the 

 civilization of the fourth century and that of the nineteenth, 

 and still more between the intellectual habits and tone of 

 thought of that day and this ? 



And what has made this difference ? I answer fearlessly, 

 The prodigious development of physical science within the last 

 two centuries. 



Modern civilization rests upon physical science ; take away 

 her gifts to our own country, and our position among the 

 leading nations of the world is gone to-morrow; for it is 

 physical science only, that makes intelligence and moral energy 

 stronger than brute force. 



The whole of modern thought is steeped in science ; it has 

 made its way into the works of our best poets, and even the 

 mere man of letters, who affects to ignore and despise science, 

 is unconsciously impregnated with her spirit, and indebted for 

 his best products to her methods. I believe that the greatest 



