I2O Selections from Huxley 



a chapter in the development of the human mind, if you 

 work out this in a broad spirit, and with such collateral 

 references to morals and politics, and physical geography, 

 and the like as are needful to make you comprehend what 

 5 the meaning of ancient literature and civilization is 

 then, assuredly, it affords a splendid and noble education. 

 But I still think it is susceptible of improvement, and that 

 no man will ever comprehend the real secret of the differ- 

 ence between the ancient world and our present time, 



10 unless he has learned to see the difference which the late 

 development of physical science has made between the 

 thought of this day and the thought of that, and he will 

 never see that difference, unless he has some practical in- 

 sight into some branches of physical science ; and you must 



15 remember that a literary education such as that which I 

 have just referred to, is out of the reach of those whose 

 school life is cut short at sixteen or seventeen. 



But, you will say, all this is fault-finding; let us hear 

 what you have in the way of positive suggestion. Then I 



20 am bound to tell you that, if I could make a clean sweep 

 of everything I am very glad I cannot because I might, 

 and probably should, make mistakes but if I could make 

 a clean sweep of everything and start afresh, I should, in 

 the first place, secure that training of the young in read- 



25 ing and writing, and in the habit of attention and ob- 

 servation, both to that which is told them, and that which 

 they see, which everybody agrees to. But in addition to 

 that I should make it absolutely necessary for everybody, 

 for a longer or shorter period, to learn to draw. Now, 



30 you may say, there are some people who cannot draw, 

 however much they may be taught. I deny that in toto, 

 because I never yet met with anybody who could not 

 learn to write. Writing is a form of drawing; therefore 

 if you give the same attention and trouble to drawing 



