A LIBERAL EDUCATION 35 



other mode of instruction, Nature took us in hand, and every 

 minute of waking life brought its educational influence, shap- 

 ing our actions into rough accordance with Nature's laws, so 

 that we might not be ended untimely by too gross disobedi- 

 ence. Nor should I speak of this process of education as past, 5 

 for any one, be he as old as he may. For every man, the 

 world is as fresh as it was at the first day, and as full of untold 

 novelties for him who has the eyes to see them. And Nature 

 is still continuing her patient education of us in that great uni- 

 versity, the universe, of which we are all members Nature 10 

 having no Test-Acts. 



Those who take honors in Nature's university, who learn 

 the laws which govern men and things and obey them, are 

 the really great and successful men in this world. The great 

 mass of mankind are the "Poll," who pick up just enough to 15 

 get through without much discredit. Those who won't 

 learn at all are plucked ; and then you can't come up again. 

 Nature's pluck means extermination. 



Thus the question of compulsory education is settled so 

 far as Nature is concerned. Her bill on that question was 20 

 framed and passed long ago. But, like all compulsory legisla- 

 tion, that of Nature is harsh and wasteful in its operation. 

 Ignorance is visited as sharply as willful disobedience inca- 

 pacity meets with the same punishment as crime. Nature's 

 discipline is not even a word and a blow, and the blow first 525 

 but the blow without the word. It is left to you to find out 

 why your ears are boxed. 



The object of what we commonly call education that edu- 

 cation in which man intervenes and which I shall distinguish 

 as artificial education is to make good these defects in 30 

 Nature's methods ; to prepare the child to receive Nature's 

 education, neither incapably nor ignorantly, nor with willful 

 disobedience ; and to understand the preliminary symptoms 

 of her displeasure, without waiting for the box on the ear. 



