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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[Nov. 



recognised at once the nature of the education at this part of the course. 

 You will also perceive that the education, although eminently practical, is at 

 the same time founded on principles previously inculcated, and that its re- 

 sult is by no means to form premature engineers or professional men of any 

 kind, hut is hitherto confined to creating a class of well-instructed persons, 

 fit for any practical employment whatever. 



Together with the applications of chemistry, the suliject of geology is now 

 introduced, as a science to which the attention of the students of the second 

 year is especially directed; and as this is the subject on which I shall my- 

 self have to address you, I will only at present dwell upon it so far as to 

 give a sufficient idea of its relative importance amongst your studies, and the 

 place which in my opinion it ought to occupy. 



The pursuit of geology may be considered to involve three distinct sub- 

 jects — a mere description of the earth's crust, and an account of the order 

 of arrangement of the materials regarded simply as matter of fact — a history 

 of the earth as deduced from such observed fact, and applied to account for 

 tlie appearances — and a statement of the practical results of knowledge of 

 this kind witn reference to the practice of engineering and mining, agricul- 

 ture and architecture. Following in some measure the plan adopted in che- 

 mistry, I at fi'st introduce to your notice the principles of geology, and 

 describe the facts observed. I afterwards explain the direct practical appli- 

 cations, and the moile in which these are best made. The f )raier is the 

 subject of a course of lectures given to the students of the second year — the 

 latter is now confined to the third year. 



Geology is essentially a science of observation ; but as all facts must be 

 grouped and laws obtained from them before they are practically available, 

 a knowledge of the history of the earth, as deduced from the observation of 

 phenomena, is necessary before the facts themselves can be applied. This 

 history I endeavour to give, avoiding as far as possible mere theory, but 

 always having reference to general principles ; and, as a department of na- 

 tural history, possessing all the advantages that belong to the details of that 

 science, and at the same time offering a yet wider and more important 

 field of philosophical speculation, I believe no subject is better adapted for 

 educational purposes, or more likely to enlarge the mind and strengthen the 

 expanding intellect. The vastness of the operations considered ; the extreme 

 duration of time involved; the singular variety and the mysterious succession 

 of organic beings ; the evidence of the action of chemical forces on a scale 

 so grand that the mind can with difficulty grasp and appreciate it, — all this 

 tends to give to the subject a hold on the imagination ; and has in some 

 cases given alarm, and in others extravagant wildness, to the "ell meaning, 

 but not well informed pursuer. A calm and dispassionate view of the facts, 

 and reasonable deductions from them, forms however, as I have said, a sub- 

 ject not ill adapted to instruct and improve the stuilent, and is absolutely 

 necessary for a fair appreciation and effi:ient use of the science of geology, 

 as applied to engineering and mining operations. 



it is considered important that the student, who has thus carefully acquired 

 during two years habits of thought and observation, vrhu has become ac- 

 quainted with elementary principles, and is to a certain extent familiar with 

 methods, should terminate his educati'inal course by a third year spent in 

 the acquirement of the higher branches of knowledge, and in the obtaining 

 practical information on various subjects connected with engineering and 

 architecture. The higher mathematics, and more especially the geometry of 

 solids ; the principles of mechanism ; the modes by which strength of material 

 is tested, and the force of complicated machines estimated ; the arts of con- 

 struction as exemplifi d in extensive and important public works; the details 

 by which the engineer is enabled to superintend and estimate the cost of 

 such works, — all these enter into the course which is thus provided, and they 

 must necessarily be excluded from the instruction given to the less advanced 

 student. In addition to this, however, the art of chemical manipulation, in 

 which each student is himself engaged in practical analysis and research, and 

 in which he has the advantage of the laboratory and the superintendence, in 

 this case personal and direct, of the professor, cannot fail to be of the greatest 

 value even to those who will hardly again be called upon to investigate per- 

 sonally in this branch of science. With a view to assist in carrying out 

 most fully the high practical character of the education afforded, I have my- 

 self undertaken to deliver to these advanced students a special course of 

 lectures on the most important practical applications of geology and mining. 

 We thus hope that at some time the attention of those interested in the 

 progress of education, and who have the ability as well as the inclination to 

 do good, may learn the advantage of inculcating science as a necessary adjunct 

 to practical knowledge ; instead of leaving practical men who would willingly 

 receive a sound education, scarcely any means to obtain even technical 

 knowledge, except by incurring great expense and serious loss of time. 



In thus speaking of the various branches of instruction aff irdcd to the 

 students of each year, I have not hitherto alluded to that religious instruc- 

 tion which forms a characteristic feature of this as of every otlier depart- 

 ment of our college education. The lectures of the Principal and the Chaplain 

 on some of the more important subjects of divinity, are not only in them- 

 selves essential, as keeping up that association of religion which is so valua- 

 ble, but must also be regarded as a portion of the scheme of education. 



The object of all our efforts here is, as I have already reminded you, essen- 

 tially collegiate : it is to form the christian and the gentleman — the useful 

 member of society as well as the efficient ami intelligent engineer and man of 

 business. The discipline of this place and the good feeling for which it has 

 ever been remarkable, is the earliest fruit and most gratifying foretaste of 



ultimate success. It is a proof of well-regulated intellect as well as good 

 feeling when the natural liveliness and exuberant spirits of youth are con- 

 fined within decent bounds, and do not feel trammelled by wholesome regu- 

 lations. 



For this reason I regard as an interesting and useful part of our system, 

 and not as a subject superadded and independent of it, this portion of reli- 

 gious instruction. It is not only a part of the college system, but a portion 

 of the special instruction which belongs to the department of the Applied 

 Sciences; and it serves to bind together — founded as it is on the best princi- 

 ples of our nature — many pursuits and interests which might otherwise ap- 

 pear disconnected and incomplete. This portion of instruction is continued 

 throughout the three years of the college course. 



Such then is a general sketch of the plan of education which many of you 

 are now commencing, and which others have already partially followed. As 

 apian, it is sufficiently distinct and comprehensive: it aims atone object 

 which is kept constantly in view ; it makes use of simple means which are 

 throughout of the same kind. 



Our plan is to prepare men for the ordinary basiness of life— not so much 

 by forcing knowledge upon them, as by inducing them to acquire it. We 

 believe that the kind of education we offer is not less adapted for the country 

 gentleman than for the engineer and the architect. We think that the 

 banker and the merchant would be the better for having had the training we 

 offer; and we are confident that society would be greatly benefitted if some 

 such plan were adopted in the education of the middle classes generally. 



We appeal rather to the common sense than to the intellect, when we ask 

 if such information as that we endeavour to teach is not likely to be useful— 

 if such training is not adapted to practical men ? 



If this our plan is thus distinct and comprehensive, we may venture also 

 to believe that it is kept constantly in view. We do not mean, indeed, to 

 assert that it is talked about daily in the lecture-room, or that we individually 

 endeavour to refer our instruction to it ; but we do say that the system 

 adopted is such as to demand and insure perpetual recurrence to it. ir 

 scheme of lecture-attendance — the examinations held from time to time — 

 the rewards offered in prizes and scholarships, may be mentioned as proofs of 

 this: and we may safely point to the workshop as well as the lecture-room ; 

 to the factory inspected, and to the museum visited, as the most certain 

 and convincing testimony to the uniform working of our plan. 



The means that we adopt are also very simple. We require regularity of 

 attendance; but we find no difficulty in enforcing order; we encourage the 

 timid ; we are anxious to the best of our power to assist those who help 

 themselves. 



And the result is seen at present in the satisfactory nature of our annual 

 examinations, and will in time appear in the harvest of useful men who have 

 gone forth from our ranks. Time is necessary to crown us with this reward; 

 but indications are not wanting of our students in this department being 

 likely to attain similar distinctions to those which have already characterised 

 other departments in the College, the period of whose duration has been 

 greater. 



In bringing this address to a conclusion, it remains only that I point out 

 once more the essential and peculiar features of the plan we have adopted, 

 and the importance that each one of you should keep in view the unity of 

 this plan while pursuing any subject that may seem to have a more engrossing 

 interest than the rest. We desire to give an education essentially practical^ 

 technical, indeed, for some who may require it, but general and untechnical 

 for the greater number. With this object in view, we insist much and pay 

 great and continued attention to those elementary subjects of instruction 

 which chiefly encourage and produce sound mental culture: — the elements 

 of geometry of chemistry and of mechanics serving chiefly for this purpose, 

 and being employed instead of the principles of grammar, elsewhere resorted 

 to, as having more distinct application to the class of facts afterwards en- 

 grafted on this stock. 



In order fully to benefit by our system however, you will readily perceive 

 the necessity of limiting the pursuit of pure mathematics, which we wish 

 you to employ as a means, not regarding it as an end. Do not therefore 

 permit yourselves to dwell too exclusively on this subject, if you would ad- 

 vance to the ultimate objects we have in view. 



The theoretical application of pure mathematics to natural philosophy is 

 another subject to which we invite attention, and require you to obtain some 

 proficiency. But let me warn you, as practical men, against the danger of 

 pursuing in too great detail this portion of mixed mathematics. 



It is the especial object of the instruction we give to send men out into 

 the world, not to retain them in the closet. Study all those subjects that 

 come before you minutely if you will, and by all means study them so as to 

 have clear and accurate notions of what you are about ; but regard them 

 always in a practical light — refer them constantly to some immeliately use- 

 ful object — think of them as men of business rather than as philosophers. 



There is, I believe, no danger of your knowledge in other departments of 

 science becoming too contemplative ; unless, indeed, you should be inclined 

 to pursue chemistry, mineralogy, or geology, rather for the amusement they 

 afford than for their distinctly practical results. With regard to my own 

 science, I always have endeavoured, and always shall endeavour, to present 

 it to you in its most practical light; and the pursuits of chemistry and mine- 

 ralogy are so directly connected with the arts, and with mining and metal- 

 lurgy, that few of yju probably will be tempted to pursue these sciences as 

 objects of exclusive research. 



