NATURE'S INSURGENT SON 49 



tions, of vast influence in the education of the whole 

 community, known as Universities. In many countries 

 they as well as the schools are directly controlled by 

 the State. In England, however, we are happy in 

 having free Universities, the older of which, though in 

 some important respects tied down by law, yet have 

 the power to determine almost absolutely, not only what 

 shall be studied within their own walls, but what shall 

 be studied in all the schools of the country frequented 

 by the children of the well-to-do. 



It is the pride of our ancient Universities that they 

 are largely, if not exclusively, frequented by young men 

 of the class who are going to take an active part in 

 the public affairs of the country either as politicians 

 and statesmen, as governors of remote colonies, or as 

 leaders of the great professions of the Church, the 

 Law, and Medicine. It would seem, then, that if these 

 Universities attached a greater, even a predominant, 

 importance to the studies which lead to the knowledge 

 and control of Nature, the schools would follow their 

 example, and that the governing class of the country 

 would become acquainted with the urgent need for 

 more knowledge of the kind, and for the immediate 

 application in public affairs of that knowledge which 

 exists. 



It would seem that in Great Britain, at any rate, it 

 would not be necessary, were the Universities alive to 

 the situation, to await the pressure of democracy, but 

 that a better and more rapid mode of development 

 would obtain ; the influential and trusted leaders of the 

 community would set the example in seeking and using 

 for the good of the State the new knowledge of Nature. 

 The world has seen with admiration and astonishment 

 the entire people of Japan follow the example of its 



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