9 



I positions ^'W^'^ ^^ deniod lliem at home? For my pari I boliovc that much of 

 ion with t^* succeRS which many of our graduates have attained, more partieu- 

 do testiind'Wfly '-^^ competitors in tlie medical prol'essiuu, is due to tlie fact that 

 :he study of Natural History, in a ])ractical way, is here made an im- 

 iircely to portant and essential portion of the regidar colli^giate course. 

 Wished he Wilde urging, houe\er, <he couliuuaiu*e of such stiulirs, ami iucreased 

 aro-er statl"***^^^^*^ ^^^ pursuing them, I wouhl not have you regard me as desir- 

 esent reasilK ^^^^ ^^^V ^^^^^^^^ supplant or even curlail the pia\suil of other aiul 

 strial cenfJWSre purely literary studies. On the contrary L think that the latter 

 )f study ui*^>^'^^^ '^® fostered and encoiiraged, and, as essentiid prerequisites for 

 ISuch i^ attainment of the higliest culture, should forna a necessary, perhaps 

 ural Histoi* predominant part of tlie collegiate curricidum. But as you are awaro 

 t and tau"'^®''*^ ^^^ many to wIk/Ui sucli studies are more i.>v less distastefid. as 

 oosal and t^''^ ''^^ others wlui, eilher from defective early training or from other 

 ance of lar®^'*^*^^'-^^^^''"^' "^^>' ''*^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^*^ pursue these latter to advantage, 

 s for a ri"*"^ ^°^ such, I think, some special provision should lie made, some 

 nd imivers*"^"^*^'^^*^''* ^'^ which they may be able 1o devote themselves more 

 and in evc^^'^'^^^' ^^^^ exclusively to studies which, while ailbrding an etjiial 

 such teachi'*^*^"^^^ of menial discipline, wdl at the same time fit them better for 

 hone to riv'^® active and practical duties of life. 



from silt "^^ °^^^' perliaj)S be said that provision has already been made for 

 ^ferred thf*^'^^ students in the syst(Mn of partial and special courses which, as 

 • V ^ima ii/®^ ^^6 awars, our University otfers, and which we have of late years 

 ncinles un*^" endeavoring to perfect and extend. This, however, is and can he 

 id the enti'^y partially the case so long as the means and a]ipliances of instruc- 

 •ithout wl '^^^ ^'^ ^^^^'^ partial courses remain deficient or inadequate. Eemember 

 ^ . hat the more important branches of these Litter are, as 1 have said, 

 ■ K" Vi • .essentially practical in their character, and it is cmly in a practical ^^•ay 



4. 1 • .what thev can lie tauglit efficuMitlv. Chemistry tor example, one of tlio 

 raKen m ti ' ^ t " 'i i it- n i 



ij ,. nost important of these branches, must, to be taught eftectually, bo 



1 aught experimentally, by actual synthesis and analysis, yet this, except, 



• ,, a limited extent, we are at present unable to do for the want of a 

 )my, witho; t i • ,, 



■/. nore commodious and suitably constructed laboratory; for the study 



n of our ov' _ _ „ , T.r- • • i i ii i ' i n 



. f . )f Metallurgy and Mining again, there should be not oiuy a well- 



irranged general cabinet of ores and minerals, but special collectiona, 



mdge°rdonat^cc<>mpanied by models and sections, U) show the actual mode of occur- 

 ie'ia^ter°"iref'®^*'^ of these latter and of the means employed for their extraction — 

 nu'nt*of°Nivnir'®''^®^"^'^*^"^ ^''^ the making of which we possess many of the materials, 

 I than '«-'e«'j/-/''5nl which at present lose much of their value from the want of room 



