62 
renouncing technical or professional education, the 
University renounces all those who must have such edu- 
cation at the age when she might receive them. Those 
who really value, as we do above most things, breadth of 
intellectual interests—who have intense repugnance to 
narrow “specialism ”—cannot, upon due consideration, 
defend the separation of ‘‘ ornamental” and “technical” 
education, as likely to conduce to increase of culture 
among our fellow-countrymen. It is by undertaking most 
fully the charge of the higher education—of those for 
whom without distinction such education: is necessary— 
that the Universities can really do most for the cause of 
culture. When Oxtord and Cambridge su ~ceed in getting 
hold of all such students then only can thoroughly satis- 
factory results be expected by those who are anxious 
for the progress of the higher education. What we 
desire. more earnestly is, that Oxford and Cambridge 
may be the means of giving breadth of view and interest 
to as large a number of young Englishmen as possible, 
for it is this that we understand by “ culture:” not the 
mere ease of manner due to luxury and the select 
association of leisured men. Oxford and Cambridge 
can spread true culture, and can have pretensions 
to such an office only when acting up to their trust 
and fully providing for the very best and fullest pro- 
fessional study in all departments. There are some 
to whom it appears important that the Association 
should plainly declare itself on this matter, before pro- 
ceeding to the question of the foundation of institu- 
tions for scientific and literary research within the Uni- 
versity. If on the one hand the Association were to 
declare for the exclusion of professional study, and at the 
same time to advocate the foundation of increased means 
and material of research within the University, we should 
feel at once that the policy of the Association would not be 
accepted by all. There is a great deal of human nature 
in the men who occupy distinguished positions in our 
Universities, and in the select atmosphere of non-profes- 
sional students and cultured ecclesiastics there is an 
inevitable languor and repose of the mind which are in- 
fectious. The most vigorous body becomes limp before 
the sirocco, and in this atmosphere of luxurious culture it | 
may be doubted whether even Faraday could have carried 
out his investigations: probably only by investing him- 
self in a kind of mental divers costume. On the other 
hand, the presence of an active body of those who 
for want of a better word we may call professional stu- 
dents—of men who, having neither time nor money for 
self-indulgence, determinedly work round their professor 
—the presence of a whole lot of such professors each so 
surrounded, and the association thus established between 
the Universities and the progress of the body of the 
country in the arts and sciences, would bring about a 
gigantic change. Professors so surrounded might with 
advantage be largely increased ; the purely ornamental 
students would be by no means dislodged—they would 
remain in numbers then as now—but beneficially influ- 
enced by the example of the career-seeking and profes- 
sional student. These in their turn would be benefited 
by a duly proportioned infusion of those students seeking 
exclusively “culture”—the amateurs and patrons of 
serious pursuits. 
It is, then, only on the basis of professional training 
NATURE 
[May 22, 1873 
in the widest sense of the term, that we should care 
to see a reorganisation of Oxford and Cambridge. Let 
the colleges be taxed, say, to the extent of fifty per cent. 
of their revenue in order to support the professoriate and 
the appliances which each faculty may deem adequate, 
not only for direct “student teaching,” but for pro- 
gressive research. Then we may hope to see our 
Universities elevated from the condition of mere finishing 
schools for young gentlemen, [f such a plan cannot be- 
carried out, it would seem useless to simply create 
sinecures within the old places, larger and probably 
less productive than those which at present exist. Sharp 
and painful though the measure might be—we should in 
that case have to yield to the removal of means which 
have so long lain idle. The colleges would be relieved 
of their excessive income to support more practical 
institutions elsewhere, and Oxford and Cambridge 
would collapse into the condition of mere theological 
seminaries. When the Association meets on Saturday 
next, it would be well that this point should be raised, 
lest by the silence of the leaders of the movement, any 
one should be lukewarm in its support. 
FRICK’S PHYSIKALISCHE TECHNIK 
Oder Anleitung zur Anstellung von phystkalischen Ver- 
suchen und sur Herstellung von phystkalischen Appa- 
raten mit moiglichst einfachen Mitteln. Von Dr. J. 
Frick. (Braunschweig, 1872.) 
HIS most useful book has now reached the fourth 
edition, and has swelled to 700 pages, illustrated by 
986 wood engravings. To some British physicists and 
teachers the work has already proved itself serviceable, 
but there are doubtless many to whom it is at present un- 
known who would find} much valuable information 
therein. 
Dr. Frick’s work is not in any sense a manual of experi- 
mental physics ; it is rather an elaborate treatise upon 
physical apparatus and the methods of physical research, 
Its object, we learn from the preface, is to give an intro- 
duction to the methods of conducting physical inquiry, to 
enumerate the precautions which it is necessary to adopt 
in order to ensure success, and to give ample directions 
with reference to the construction of apparatus and its 
management. This field is, comparatively speaking, un- 
trodden before, and we have'no hesitation in saying how 
thoroughly successful Dr. Frick’s attempt to guide us over 
it has proved. We shall briefly indicate the contents of 
the book, and then point out the few matters in which we 
think the execution of the task has fallen short of what 
might have been fairly expected. 
The first part contains a sketch of the arrangements 
necessary for the physical laboratory, and a detailed ac- 
count of the methods of manipulating glass, metals, and 
other materials which are required for the apparatus de- 
scribed in the second part. This portion of the book is 
very interesting and useful. We find here numerous hints * 
on turning, glass-blowing, and similar processes with 
which it is well for the physicist to be acquainted. Inthe 
second part we have in Chap. I. a description of the ap- 
paratus necessary for the study of the equilibrium of 
forces applied to solids, liquids, and gases ; Chap, II- 
describes the apparatus used for experiments on motion 
