TECHNICAL EDUCATION. 83 



in the learned professions, knowledge, alone, is of less 

 consequence than people are apt to suppose. And, if 

 much expenditure of bodily energy is involved in the 

 day's work, mere knowledge is of still less importance 

 when weighed against the probable cost of its acquire- 

 ment. To do a fair day's work with his hands, a man 

 needs, above all things, health, strength, and the patience 

 and cheerfulness which, if they do not always accompany 

 these blessings, can hardly in the nature of things exist 

 without them; to which we must add honesty of pur- 

 pose and a pride in doing what is done well. 



A good handicraftsman can get on very well with- 

 out genius, but he will fare badly without a reasonable 

 share of that which is a more useful possession for work- 

 aday life, namely, mother-wit ; and he will be all the 

 better for a real knowledge, however limited, of the 

 ordinary laws of nature, and especially of those which 

 apply to his own business. 



Instruction carried so far as to help the scholar to 

 turn his store of mother-wit to account, to acquire a fair 

 amount of sound elementary knowledge, and to use his 

 hands and eyes ; while leaving him fresh, vigorous, and 

 with a sense of the dignity of his own calling, whatever 

 it may be, if fairly and honestly pursued, cannot fail to 

 be of invaluable service to all these who come under its 

 influence. 



But, on the other hand, if school instruction is carried 

 so far as to encourage bookishness; if the ambition of 

 the scholar is directed, not to the gaining of knowledge, 



