54 THE ADDRESSES, LECTURES, ETC., OF 



way of originality in the adaptation of new means to new ends in 

 their future career. On this account I should prefer to see a sound 

 " fundamental " education, comprising mathematics, dynamics, 

 chemistry, geology and physical science, with a sketch only of the 

 technical arts, followed up by professional training such as can 

 only be obtained in the workshop, the office, or the field. 



The universal interest evinced throughout the country in the 

 work of education, by parliamentary enquiries, by the erection of 

 colleges and professorships, and by the munificence of a leading 

 member of our section in endowing a hundred scholarships, are 

 proofs that England intends to hold her place also in this question 

 of education amongst the civilised nations ; and I am confident 

 that she will accomplish this object in a manner in unison with her 

 practical tendencies and independence of character. 



Closely allied to the question of education is that of the system 

 of letters patent. A patent is, according to modern views, a con- 

 tract between the commonwealth and an individual who has dis- 

 covered a method peculiar to himself of accomplishing a result of 

 general utility. The State, being interested to secure the informa- 

 tion and to induce the inventor to put his discovery into execution, 

 grants him the exclusive right of practising it or of authorising 

 others to do so for a limited number of years, in consideration of 

 his making a full and sufficient description of the same. Unfor- 

 tunately this simple and equitable theory of the patent system is 

 very imperfectly carried out, and is beset with various objectionable 

 practices which render a patent sometimes an impediment to, 

 rather than a furtherance of, applied science, and sometimes involve 

 the author of an invention in endless legal contentions and disaster, 

 instead of procuring for him the intended reward. These evils are 

 so great and palpable that many persons, including men of un- 

 doubted sincerity and sound judgment on most subjects, advocate 

 the entire abolition of the Patent Laws. They argue that the 

 desire to publish the results of our mental labour suffices to ensure 

 to the commonwealth the possession' of all new discoveries or inven- 

 tions, and that justice might be done to meritorious inventors by 

 giving them national rewards. 



This argument may hold good as regards a scientific discovery 

 where the labour bestowed is purely mental, and carries with it the 

 pleasurable excitement peculiar to the exercise and advancement 



