V NOTES OF AN AFTER-DINNER SPEECH 129 



all kinds of teaching, but most essential, I am dis- 

 posed to think, when the scholars are very young. 

 This condition is, that the teacher should himself 

 really and practically know his subject. If he does, 

 he will be able to speak of it in the easy language, 

 and with the completeness of conviction, with which 

 he talks of any ordinary every-day matter. If he 

 does not, he will be afraid to wander beyond the 

 limits of the technical phraseology which he has 

 got up ; and a dead dogmatism, which oppresses, 

 or raises opposition, will take the place of the lively 

 confidence, born of personal conviction, which 

 cheers and encourages the eminently sympathetic 

 mind of childhood. 



I have already hinted that such scientific train- 

 ing as we seek for may be given without making 

 any extravagant claim upon the time now devoted 

 to education. We ask only for " a most favoured 

 nation " clause in our treaty with the schoolmaster ; 

 we demand no more than that science shall have 

 as much time given to it as any other single sub- 

 jectsay four hours a week in each class of an 

 ordinary school. 



For the present, I think men of science would 

 be well content with such an arrangement as this ; 

 but speaking for myself, I do not pretend to 

 believe that such an arrangement can be, or will 

 be, permanent. In these times the educational 

 tree seems to me to have its roots in the air, its leaves 

 and flowers in the ground ; and, I confess, I should 



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