IV AND WHERE TO FIND IT 81 



measure, are met with the objection that it is very 

 like making a child practise the use of a knife, 

 fork, and spoon, without giving it a particle of 

 meat. I really don't know what reply is to be 

 made to such an objection. 



But it would be unprofitable to spend more 

 time in disentangling, or rather in showing up 

 the knots in, the ravelled skeins of our neighbours. 

 Much more to the purpose is it to ask if we possess 

 any clue of our own which may guide us among 

 these entanglements. And by way of a beginning, 

 let us ask ourselves What is education ? Above 

 all things, what is our ideal of a thoroughly 

 liberal education ? of that education which, if we 

 could begin life again, we would give ourselves 

 of that education which, if we could mould the fates 

 to our own will, we would give our children ? 

 Well, I know not what may be your conceptions 

 upon this matter, but I will tell you mine, and I 

 hope I shall find that our views are not very 

 discrepant. 



Suppose it were perfectly certain that the life 

 and fortune of every one of us would, one day or 

 other, depend upon his winning or losing a game 

 at chess. Don't you think that we should all 

 consider it to be a primary duty to learn at least 

 the names and the moves of the pieces ; to have a 

 notion of a gambit, and a keen eye for all the 

 means of giving and getting out of check ? Do 



