280 THE ADDRESSES, LECTURES, ETC., OF 



without having the least knowledge of the laws of heat, of 

 elasticity, or of dynamics involved in their action. 



On the whole I am inclined to agree with Lord Brougham, 

 who, himself a great lawyer and a lover of science, gave origin to 

 the pithy expression, " Try to know something about everything, 

 and everything about something." It would be hard, indeed, to 

 realise the latter portion of his saying, but it would be difficult to 

 know even a good deal about something without knowing at least 

 something about a great many other things. 



The question of education becomes even more difficult when we 

 approach the condition of the artisan who needs to send his boy 

 into the mine or factory at the tender age of twelve. I am of 

 opinion that fourteen years -should be the minimum age at which 

 lads should be admitted into works, in order that they may have 

 had not less than four years of judicious training at elementary 

 or Board schools, where, in addition to the purely elementary 

 subjects, at least so much of general history, easy mathematics, 

 and natural science should be inculcated as to implant, if possible, 

 the desire to acquire more of those subjects in after life. School 

 education, whether followed up to one point or another, can after 

 all do no more than lay a foundation and implant, if possible, a 

 desire in the mind of the student to follow up the subjects taught 

 in maturer years, with the experience of life present to give a 

 practical direction to his studies. 



In order to aid him in these endeavours, such bodies as the 

 Midland Institute must prove to be of great service, with its 

 science classes and lectures open to all who thirst after knowledge 

 and who want to understand more particularly the scientific 

 principles involved in their occupations. Technical education 

 such as this is indeed indispensable if this country is to maintain 

 the supremacy won for it by men of exceptional genius, enterprise, 

 and perseverance, but which without it can hardly be expected to 

 withstand in the long run the competition of foreign nations, with 

 cheaper labour and a higher standard of general education in their 

 favour. The English system of technical education has this 

 advantage over the system established elsewhere, that it is not 

 governmental but essentially spontaneous and self-supporting, and 

 will therefore shape itself into the mould best suited to the free 

 and vigorous development of trade itself. 



