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iIkh'S of students whi) attend them and the important positions*''^^'" '^ 



which their "graduates are called, not simply in connection with t'^**® Bxwct 



arts and sciences, but in every situation of life, bear an)ple testiinc^ft'ly '-^^ 



to 1 heir utility. r-heslud; 



Of course it is not to be expected, perhaj)s it is scarcely to portant : 



desired, that such a special science-school should be established lio; Whiii 



Such scliools to be thoroughly siu-cessfid, require a much larger stall'^*^*^^^^ 



Professors and much larger endowments than we can at present reasi^ ^"^^ 



ably hope for, as well as proximity to some large industrial cenfJ^ore pui 



where the practical applications of the ditierent branches of study mi^P^'^^^ '|' 



I seen at the same time with their theoretical exposition. ISiich c^ attaii 



jections, however, do not apply to the study of simple Natural Histoi'' pr<-^^'^'" 



and there is n(^ reason why the latter should not be taught, and taug'"®^*^ '^^^ 



to the fullest extent consistent with the means at our disposjil and t'*'^ ''^^ ^' 



wants of the student. Nature does not re(|[uire the assistance of lar*^^^^ ' 



commmiities, nor the noise and smoke of busy factories for a rig*^ 



uiuhn-standing of her laws : her o])erations are incessant and univers;"'^"^^*^" 



and the means of tlieir study may be had at all times and in eve:^^®^ > 



place. Will any one undertake to say that the results of sucli teachi;''^^^"^ 



are idtogether unimportant, and that, because we cannot hope to ri\ ^^' ^^ 



the great institutions which derive their support directly from siii ^^'^ 



large and wealthy communities as those to which I have referred, thc*^^ ^ ^" 



is still no work for us to do in this direction ? Must our voung ml^^ ^^^ 



remain in comparative ignorance of those facts and principles upi^^^ ^""^ 



wliicli the well-being and progress both of themselves and the enti*, -^ P^^ 



country so greatly depend — the principles of Chemistry, without whii'^"** ^'^ 



they can enter IntelUgenthj upon scarcely a single branch of manufactii 



ing industry, of Mineralogy and Metallurgy, the want of which is a;'^*®^^ ^^ 



parent in almost every attempt at mining so far undertaken in tl' .^' - 



rr()\ince, of Botany, upon which the maintenance and culture of o;^ 



forest trees and their adaptation to many useful purposes, so large. ^^. 



depend, and finally of Zoology and Comparative Astronomy, withoi 



which it is impossible to understand the organization even of our ov 



frames, — or are thev to be compelled to seek abroad that informati 

 '- iraangec 



NoTK. — It may not be without interest in this connection, more particularly to those whoa -nniYini 

 wont to crj- out against universitj' eduaition as an expensive luxurj-, and who grudge a donati''*'*'*''^?'* 

 even of ii few hundred dollars only towards promoting its efficiency, to call tlieir attention to "i.c.Y.pp f.f 

 single instance where a very different spirit is manifested with reference to the latter. I ret ""*'*^ "^ 

 to tlie case of Harvard University (one only however among many where in the neighboring t,_l1j,n|.:^ 

 public a similar generosity has been displayed,) where, in the single department of Natur' *^ 

 Science alone, there are no less thauy/re distinct museums, with a staflof not less than tv;entyfoyyjJ^ whi( 

 Professors, and to the perfecting of which there has been devoted, in the aggregate, no less a su 

 than a million and a half of dollars! 



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