64 MEMOIK OF ALFRED SMEE. [CHAP. VII. 



as to acquire rudimentary botanical knowledge, as well as a 

 knowledge of mineralogy and geology. Accurate ' Syndramic ' 

 knowledge is a department of education which requires cultiva- 

 tion in England." * Mr. Smee was ever from the first a consis- 

 tent and strong opponent of the present system of " cramming," 

 and of competitive examination, both of which he contended 

 materially injured the functions of the brain, and thereby les- 

 sened the mental faculties of man. In the Appendix, No. XX., 

 is a long letter on education from Mr. Srnee's pen addressed to 

 the Committee of Industrial Instruction in London. For his 

 further views on education I must refer the reader to the chapter 

 on that subject in ' The Mind of Man.' 



So firmly was Alfred Smee's mind bent upon endeavouring to 

 improve the education of the youths of the city of London, that 

 through his means he induced his co-managers of the London 

 Institution to allow educational lectures to be given two after- 

 noons every week in the lecture-room, on astronomy, botany, 

 chemistry, geology, and zoology. They were delivered by 

 eminent professors. At first his brother managers tried to laugh 

 my father out of the idea. I remember one of them saying in my 

 presence, " Smee, whatever are you thinking of now ? Just as if a 

 parcel of children could understand or care about lectures." One 

 of the parcel of children that heard this remark was considerably 

 offended, I remember, and it was a long time before the writer of 

 this entertained friendly feelings towards that gentleman. 



But my father pressed the matter, and the managers con- 

 sented to try the experiment. The first lecture of the first course 

 of educational lectures at the London Institution was delivered 

 by Alfred Smee on the afternoon of Saturday, October the 14th, 

 1854. The object of this lecture was to set forth the objects and 

 advantages of educational lectures, and it was based on his 

 " natural system of mental philosophy." The lecture-table and 

 space around was covered with apparatus for experiments. The 

 children were delighted and learnt much ; the adults were 

 delighted, and also found that they had much to learn. The 

 success of the various educational lectures was greater than 

 even my father had anticipated. For myself, I shall never 

 cease to think of those years during which I regularly attended 

 those lectures without grateful feelings for the units of know- 

 ledge which I thereby acquired, and regret only that I was not 

 more diligent in taking advantage of such golden opportunities. 



* See chapter v. on Education, in ' Mind of Man,' p. 34. 



