1887 THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE 3 



the race for want of special education which was 

 obtained elsewhere by the artisan. The only possible 

 chance for keeping the industry of England at the 

 head of the world was through organisation. 



Writing on January 18, to Mr. Herbert Spencer, 

 who had sent him some proofs of his Autobiography 

 to look through, he says : — 



I see that your proofs have been in my hands longer 

 than I thought for. But you may have seen that I have 

 been " starring " at the Mansion Housa 



This was not exactly one of those bits of over-easiness 

 to pressure with which you reproach me — but the result- 

 ant of a composition of pressures, one of which was the 

 conviction that the " Institute " might be made into 

 something very useful and greatly wanted — if only the 

 projectors could be made to believe that they had always 

 intended to do that which your humble servant wants 

 done — that is the establishment of a sort of Royal Society 

 for the improvement of industrial knowledge and an 

 industrial university — by voluntary association. 



I hope my virtue may be its own reward. For except 

 being knocked up for a day or two by the unwonted 

 effort, I doubt whether there will be any other. The 

 thing has fallen flat as a pancake, and I greatly doubt 

 whether any good will come of it. Except a fine in the 

 shape of a subscription, I hope to escape further j)imish- 

 ment for my efforts to be of use. 



However, this was only the beginning of his 

 campaign. 



On January 27, a letter from him appeared in the 

 Times, guarding against a wrong interpretation of his 

 speech, in the general uncertainty as to the intentions 

 of the proposers of the scheme. 



