128 SELECTED ESSAYS FROM LAY SERMONS 



claim upon the time now devoted to education. We ask 

 only for "a most favoured nation" clause in our treaty 

 with the schoolmaster; we demand no more than that 

 science shall have as much time given to it as any other 

 single subject — say four hours a week in each class of an 

 ordinary school. 



For the present, I think men of science would be well 

 content with such an arrangement as this; but speaking for 

 myself, I do not pretend to believe that such an arrangement 

 can be, or will be, permanent. In these times the educa- 

 tional tree seems to me to have its roots in the air, its leaves 

 and flowers in the ground; and, I confess, I should very 

 much like to turn it upside down, so that its roots might be 

 solidly imbedded among the facts of Nature, and draw 

 thence a sound nutriment for the foliage and fruit of litera- 

 ture and of art. No educational system can have a claim 

 to permanence, unless it recognises the truth that educa- 

 tion has two great ends to which everything else must be 

 subordinated. The one of these is to increase knowledge; 

 the other is to develop the love of right and the hatred of 

 wrong. 



With wisdom and uprightness a nation can make its way 

 worthily, and beauty vdll follow in the footsteps of the two, 

 even if she be not especially invited; while there is perhaps 

 no sight in the whole world more saddening and revolting 

 than is offered by men sunk in ignorance of everything but 

 what other men have written; seemingly devoid of moral 

 belief or guidance; but with the sense of beauty so keen, and 

 the power of expression so cultivated, that their sensual 

 caterwauling may be almost mistaken for the music of the 

 spheres. 



At present, education is almost entirely devoted to the 

 cultivation of the power of expression, and of the sense of 



