1887 THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE 7 



fragmentary." " The ladder from the School Board 

 to the Universities, about which I dreamed dreams 

 many years ago, has not yet acquired much more 

 substantiality than the ladder of Jacob's vision," but 

 the Science and Art Department, the Normal School 

 of Science, and the Central Institute only want the 

 means to carry out the recommendations already 

 made by impartial and independent authority. 

 "Economy does not lie in sparing money, but in 

 spending it wisely." 



He concluded with an appeal to Lord Hartington 

 to take up this task of organising industrial education 

 and bring it to a happy issue. 



A proposal was also made to the Royal Society to 

 co-operate, and Sir M. Foster writes on February 1 9 : 

 "We have appointed a Committee to consider and 

 draw up a draft reply with a view of the RS. 

 following up your letter." 



To this Huxley replied on the 22 nd : — 



. . . My opinion is that the RS. has no right to sjjend 

 its money or pledge its credit for any but scientific objects, 

 and that we have nothing to do with sending round the 

 hat for other purposes. 



The project of the Institute Committee as it stands 

 connected with the South Kensington site — is condemned 

 by all the city people and will receive none but the most 

 grudging support from them. They are going to set up 

 what will be practically an Institute of their own in the city. 



The thing is already a failure. I daresay it will go on 

 and be varnished into a simulacrum of success — to become 

 eventually a ghost like the Albert Hall or revive as a tea 

 garden. 



