G 



I 



to the su1»joi.-t, ami more parllciiliiiOy l)y llioso who, as jjraolical ediic^C^* ^^"f' 



tioaalists and as posscssiiii^ a t'liJ] kiioul<>(l;;e of all the difl'ereiit systei'dvaiu-iuj 

 wliicli have been proposed, arc best (iualilied to give an opinion iip^vero tef 

 their merits. herefore 



These ad\antages, I tlunl<, are cluefly the following : — 'tion to 



1. That the methods of scientific eii(|iiiry being for the most p£'l*ced in 



strictiv inductive, leading np the mind by successive steps from simi ?* 1 ^^ 

 and apparently isolated phenomena to the grandeur of universal trutl*''® ^mvf 

 they possess all the merits of a loyical sysU'vi, calling forth equally wi'^*^ modt 

 the latter the highest power of the intellect, while at the same time iSfJond m 

 objects and plienomena with which they deal are not merely ideal, b'^y "^ '^ 

 liave a real tangilih^ existence, a)ul can always be appealed to as veri:'*®^^^^ P' 

 ing or dJspro\ing the conclusions which may be reached. i^isten 



2, — Tliat by such appeal to actual frtcts the powers of observation 1 "The tii 

 come unfolded equally witli llio more purely reflective ones, the studrhe few, w 

 Ijciu'T tlius tauglit to employ and train to their fullest extent all 1*7® ^^^" 

 diilerent facullies of wl.ich lie is possessed. By being tanght to d^ ' 



tintaush what is essential frinn va liat is comparatively tri^■ial and u'ii:ggy^.j^gg ^. 

 i)ortant, he is at the same time better fitted for those positions in liaswered. 

 whatever they may be, which recpiire a prompt and accurate judgmciuman rac 



3. — -That such studies are calculated to produce originality of thou<,^®**'"" f 

 and habits of self reliance, i]w phenomena to be observed, though ba,V|,^^ ._ 

 upon comparaiively i'ew and simple trutlis, being infinitely varied g ^^gi^. ^^ 

 tlieir ujanifestal ions, and then-fore reiiuiring sometlung more than mhf our con 

 ])ook kuowleilge or an eftbrt of the memor}" to master them. 



4. — That the object s contemplated being for the most part remarka' "^'"^ 

 for their beauty, as well as for their orderly arrangement and evide^^^ ^^ 

 adaptation to wise and ]ieneficial ends, they tend to culti\ate tlie a^stl^^* ^^^^^ 

 lie and purely imaginatise powers of the mind, gi^ing to the individi*^^ e^'^| 

 a keener sense of tlie beautiful in Art, l^etry and Literature, tli.'^^ ^''''1^^ 

 latter being often successful just in proportion as they are faithful i"^ inosi 

 productions of Nature. The religious element of our being is at t"*** **^'^' 

 same aroused, the creature being made to bow in humble adorati)* ' 

 before the infinite work of an Infinite Creator. ^^^^ ^^ 



And (5) lastly, such studies are essentially practical, and suited '° 8^ 

 their applications to the wants of our every day existence. 'onsnler 



"The influence," says Dr. Lardner, "which the study of NatiiP'^®^ 

 Science exercises upon the intellectual faculties merits serious attentii* 

 The course of investigation tlu'oiigh which the mind is conducted '*^"®^^^ 



