136 SCIENCE AND CULTURE 



VI 



an indication that we are reaching the crisis of 

 the battle, or rather of the long series of battles, 

 which have been fought over education in a 

 campaign which began long before Priestley's 

 time, and will probably not be finished just yet. 



In the last century, the combatants were the 

 champions of ancient literature on the one side, 

 and those of modern literature on the other ; but, 

 some thirty years l ago, the contest became com- 

 plicated by the appearance of a third army, ranged 

 round the banner of Physical Science. 



I am not aware that any one has authority to 

 speak in the name of this new host. For it must 

 be admitted to be somewhat of a guerilla force, 

 composed largely of irregulars, each of whom 

 fights pretty much for his own hand. But the 

 impressions of a full private, who has seen a good 

 deal of service in the ranks, respecting the present 

 position of affairs and the conditions of a per- 

 manent peace, may not be devoid of interest ; and 

 I do not know that I could make a better use of 

 the present opportunity than by laying them 

 before you. 



From the time that the first suggestion to intro- 

 duce physical science into ordinary education was 



1 The advocacy of the introduction of physical science into 

 general education by George Combe and others commenced a 

 good deal earlier ; but the movement had acquired hardly any 

 practical force before the time to which I refer. 



