400 SCIENCE TEACHING : EXAMINATIONS 



criticisms and the advice given in a letter dated February 3, 

 1857, to Harvey, who in November 1856, being newly appointed 

 to the Botanical chair at Dublin, consulted him as to the 

 best scheme of lecturing. 



The essence of this advice, based on experience as examiner, 

 is to give the students a moderate amount of matter, very 

 thoroughly ; teaching through mind and eye and hand, first 

 by clear explanation of fundamentals with three or four 

 examples of each, and exact definition of essential terms ; 

 next by big diagrams keeping these chosen examples and exact 

 definitions always before the men's eyes, then by teaching 

 the men to dissect and draw, examining them with specimens, 

 as Sir William Hooker used to do, in the second half of each 

 lecturing hour. 



If ever I lectured on Botany to Medical students and 

 others, I would not give half the matter others do. 



Whatever you do, strive to be under the mark in amount 

 of what you teach, and over it in well illustrating what you 

 mean. 



Never forget that the men have had no elementary 

 training, and come to you absolutely unfit to take up the 

 study of Botany, and keep the elements always in view. 



Use as few terms as you possibly can, never using one in 

 two senses, or two for one purpose. I never get a man who 

 can give me a straightforward answer as to what a seed, a 

 fruit, or an ovule is. [The answer is given in a] sort of un- 

 systematic, illogical fashion, showing that those who know 

 what a seed is have no precise notion of it. 



As to the ever repeated insistence on the men knowing 

 perfectly the definition of terms employed, such as analogy, 

 affinity, homology, species, 



if any one objects, tell those who know them that they 

 need not look at them, but that in a recent London Exam., 

 out of 45 members of the 3 Colleges of Surgeons examined, 

 not 5 could give a logical, accurate definition of any 5 or 

 more of these terms, and many of none ! and that without 

 them a right knowledge of any branch of Nat. Hist, is 

 impossible. 



