1892 THE STATE AND INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION 339 



the Latin and Greek mill will be indispensable. And if he is 

 not going to make the classics a serious study, there will be a 

 serious waste of time and energy. 



So much in all these matters depends on the x contained in 

 the boy himself. If he has the physical and mental energy to 

 make a mark in science, I should drive him straight at science, 

 taking care that he got a literary training through English, 

 French, and German. An average capacity, on the other hand, 

 may be immensely helped by university means of flotation. 



But who in the world is to say how the x will turn out, 

 before the real strain begins ? One might as well prophesy the 

 effect of a glass of " hot-with ' when the relative quantities of 

 brandy, water, and sugar are unknown. I am sure the large 

 quantity of brandy and the very small quantity of sugar in my 

 composition were suspected neither by myself, nor any one else, 

 until the rows into which wicked men persisted in involving 

 me began ! 



And that reminds me that I forgot to tell the publishers to 

 send you a copy of my last peace-offering, and that one will be 

 sent you by to-morrow's post. There is nothing new except the 

 prologue, the sweet reasonableness of which will, I hope, meet 

 your approbation. 



It is not my fault if you have had to toil through this fright- 

 fully long screed ; Mrs. Riviere, to whom our love, said you 

 wanted it. " Tu 1'as voulu, Georges Dandin." Ever yours very 

 faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



The following deals with State intervention in inter- 

 mediate education : 



(For Sunday morning's leisure, or take it to church and read 

 it in your hat.) 



HODESLEA, EASTBOURNE, Oct. i, 1892. 



MY DEAR DONNELLY Best thanks for sending on my letter. 

 I do not suppose it will do much good, but, at any rate, I thought 

 I ought to try to prevent their making a mess of medical edu- 

 cation. 



I like \vhat I have seen of Acland. He seemed to have both 

 intelligence and volition. 



As to intermediate education I have never favoured the 

 notion of State intervention in this direction. 



I think there are only two valid grounds for State meddling 

 with education : the one the danger to the community which 



