168 SCIENCE AND ART AND EDUCATION vn 



no doubt that the result was as disappointing as the 

 head-master said it was, and I have no doubt that it 

 ought to have been as disappointing, and far more 

 disappointing too ; for, if this kind of instruction 

 is to be of any good at all, if it is not to be less 

 than no good, if it is to take the place of that 

 which is already of some good, then there are 

 several points which must be attended to. 



And the first of these is the proper selection of 

 topics, the second is practical teaching, the third is 

 practical teachers, and the fourth is sufficiency of 

 time. If these four points are not carefully at- 

 tended to by anybody who undertakes the teaching 

 of physical science in schools, my advice to him is, 

 to let it alone. I will not dwell at any length 

 upon the first point, because there is a general 

 consensus of opinion as to the nature of the topics 

 which should be chosen. The second point 

 practical teaching is one of great importance, 

 because it requires more capital to set it agoing, 

 demands more time, and, last, but by no means 

 least, it requires much more personal exertion and 

 trouble on the part of those professing to teach, 

 than is the case with other kinds of instruction. 



When I accepted the invitation to be here this 

 evening, your secretary was good enough to send 

 me the addresses which have been given by dis- 

 tinguished persons who have previously occupied 

 this chair. I don't know whether he had a 

 malicious desire to alarm me ; but, however that 



