418 TECHNICAL EDUCATION XVI 



had the chance of being as well taught as these 

 boys and girls are. 



But while in view of such an advance in general 

 education, I willingly obey the natural impulse to 

 be thankful, I am not willing altogether to rest. 

 I want to see instruction in elementary science 

 and in art more thoroughly incorporated in the 

 educational system. At present, it is being 

 administered by driblets, as if it were a potent 

 medicine, " a few drops to be taken occasionally in 

 a teaspoon." Every year I notice that that 

 earnest and untiring friend of yours and of mine, 

 Sir John Lubbock, stirs up the Government of the 

 day in the House of Commons on this subject ; 

 and also that, every year, he, and the few mem- 

 bers of the House of Commons, such as Dr. Play- 

 fair, who sympathise with him, are met with ex- 

 pressions of warm admiration for science in 

 general, and reasons at large for doing nothing in 

 particular. But now that Mr. Forster, to whom 

 the education of the country owes so much, has 

 announced his conversion to the right faith, I 

 begin to hope that, sooner or later, things will 

 mend. 



I have given what I believe to be a good 

 reason for the assumption, that the keeping at 

 school of boys, who are to be handicraftsmen, 

 beyond the age of thirteen or fourteen is neither 

 practicable nor desirable ; and, as it is quite cer- 

 tain, that, with justice to other and no less import- 



