386 SCIENCE TEACHING : EXAMINATIONS 



that had not studied plants for himself. I had also 

 another object in my paper, which was the leading men 

 to study plants rather than books. Every one but Henslow 

 thinks my questions dreadful because nobody thinks of 

 them. You must also remember that they had 8 hours ; 

 and that my object was to give questions requiring 

 thought rather than memory. What does Busk say to 

 them ? 



Continuing the subject, he writes on September 12 : 



Sir C. Wood ^ has written me a powerfully flattering letter, f 

 asking me to accept the Examinership ! This is rather good 

 after my name has been battledored and shuttlecocked in 

 the medical papers for the best part of the month as I am 

 told, for I have not read them yet. 



God knov/s there was no jobbery in my election. Of 

 course I graciously accept ; and of course I get thanks for 

 the same, from this pink of poHteness who seems a regular 

 official Mantalini with his ' demnition sweetness.' W^hat are 

 Busk's ideas on the subject of the examinations ? I have 

 long held that the Army, Navy, and E.I.C. examining good 

 passed men of the Eoyal Colleges is a piece of the most con- 

 founded impertinence. As to the Navy Examination we 

 know what that was and I suppose is ; it has always appeared 

 to me that the said services should seek from the Colleges 

 men proved by them to be first-class in their profession, and 

 then let the Examiners of the services examine for accompHsh- 

 ments and quahfications essential to shed lustre on the service 

 and improve it. I am going to talk over this subject with 

 Paget ^ to-morrow, but of course shall take no initiative and 

 am rather groping my way in utter ignorance than anything 

 else. The success of my Apoth. Co. examination has put new 

 ideas into my head, and convinces me that even in Botany 

 men at the examinations are rather to be expected to exert 

 their reasoning faculties than their powers of memory. If 

 we only reflect we shall see that the Oxford and Cambridge 

 honours papers, and even high class examination and pass 



^ Sir Charles Wood (1800-85), created Viscount Halifax on his retirement 

 from public life in 1866, had been Chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord 

 John Russell from 1846-52, and in 1854 was President of the Board of Control 

 and from 1859 Secretary of State for India. 



2 (Sir) James Paget. See ante, p. 25. 



