5o6 



NATURE 



\Oct. 2 2, 1874 



Faucon's observations, confirmed by those of all the 

 other persons who have made positive investigations for 

 themselves, have established that — 



1. The number of insects on a plant is in direct and 

 constant accordance with the state of the roots. 



2. According as the state of the roots is healthier, is the 

 number of insects greater. 



3. The number diminishes in proportion to the ex- 

 haustion and consequent death of the roots. 



4. On an absolutely dead plant it is impossible to dis- 

 cover a single insect. Surely, therefore, the riiylloxera 

 is the cause, and the only cause, of the vine-disease, since 

 its appearance invariably precedes the rotting of the roots, 

 and never follows on their decay. 



We postpone till next week the description of the 

 PhylloxL-ia itself and the manner in which it attacks and 

 ultimately kills the vine, together with the mention of the 

 various means which have been proposed for the extir- 

 pation of the disease. 



{To be co/itinued.) 



PHYSICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON* 



A T the present time, when the bulk of the educated 

 -^~^ population of many countries may be divided into 

 the three classes of Ex-aminandi, Exaininati, and Exaiiii- 

 nalores, a large part of any discussion of what is called 

 the higher education must inevitably be devoted to the 

 question of examinations. Usually, if the matter is dis- 

 cussed from the point of view of those whose business it 

 is to teach, the result is the condemnation of examinations 

 in general as unfavourable to all thorough study ; and, 

 from whatever quarter the discussion proceeds, it seems to 

 be taken for granted that the functions of the teacher and 

 those of the examiner are naturally opposed to each other. 

 And indeed no one who has given any attention to the 

 question can doubt but that such an opposition really does 

 exist in very many cases. Originally employed by teachers 

 themselves to consolidate and test the results of their 

 instruction, examinations were at first a natural part of 

 the educational system ; but of late years they have 

 rapidly developed into an independent species, which has 

 separated off from the parent organism and now too 

 often tyrannises over it. As of other developments, so of 

 this, we are bound to believe that it is an adaptation to 

 co-existing conditions, and therefore fulfils some useful 

 purposes ; but, from the teacher's point of view, as soon as 

 examinations become detached from instruction, and 

 come to be the end of learning instead of a means of 

 teaching, the evils they produce are much more apparent 

 than these benefits, ^\'hen they have no worse result, 

 they arc apt to be viewed by students as affording them 

 ;in authoritative standard, independent of the judgment of 

 their professors, by which to decide what subjects of study 

 and what parts of these subjects are of sufficient import- 

 ance to be worthy of their attention. It is therefore not 

 to be wondered at that such examinations should be 

 looked upon by teachers with dislike, as being hindrances 

 and not helps to their work, or that we should hear 

 frequent protests against their excessive multiplication. 



While, however, I in general heartily sympathise with 

 such protests, and feel strongly that the difficulty of honest 

 and thorough teaching in my own subject is greatly in- 

 creased by the regulations for those examinations which, 

 in fairness to the students attending my lectures, I am 

 bound not to lose sight of, it does not seem to me that the 

 remedy for the evils complained of is to be looked for in 

 the abolition of the present examination system. This 

 system is no doubt defective in many ways, and we may 

 perhaps hope that some day it will be replaced by one 



* Introductory' Lecture delivered at the opening of the Session of the 

 Faculties of Arts and Laws and of Science, in XJniversity College. London, 

 on Monday, Oct. 5, 1874, by G. Carey Foster, F.E..S., Professor of Physics. 



more accordant with sound educational principles ; for 

 the present, however, it exists, and must be recognised as 

 one of the conditions under which our work has to be 

 done. Practical wisdom therefore teaches that instead of 

 trying to get rid of it, we should strive as far as possible to 

 improve it, to lessen its faults, and to develop whatever 

 good it may be susceptible of. 



It is admitted on all hands that examinations carried on 

 in direct connection with teaching are of great educational 

 value, of so much value indeed that no careful teacher 

 ever thinks of doing without them. What, therefore, in 

 the interests of sound education, we ought to strive for, in 

 relation to those examinations which are not connected 

 with any system of instruction, is that they should be 

 made, as nearly as possible, what they would be if 

 they did form part of such a system. It is perhaps 

 too much to expect that this should be taken as 

 the leading principle in the case of examinations such 

 as those, now so common in connection with various 

 branches of the public service, which exist for the primary 

 object, not of promoting education, but of preventing 

 dolts and dunces from being supported at the public 

 expense ; but, besides these, there are many examinations 

 nowadays, which, though unconnected with teaching, are 

 professedly intended for the advancement of education. 

 Among cuch examinations, those of the University of 

 London are on many accounts the most important, and 

 the intimate relation between them and much of our work 

 in this College seems to me to be a sufficient reason for 

 considering how far the influence which, through this 

 relation, they exert upon our teaching, is beneficial or 

 otherwise. 



If any further justification be needed for discussing the 

 educational tendency of the examinations of the Uni- 

 versity of London, beyond the general one arising from 

 the paramount importance of the improvement of educa- 

 tion, it may be found in the history of the University. It 

 is doubtless known to many of my audience that the 

 University of London was constituted, in most essential 

 respects as it now exists, by a Royal Charter dated 

 December 5, 1S37, in orcier, "for the advancement of 

 religion and morality, and the promotion of useful know- 

 ledge, to hold forth to all classes and denominations of 

 [her Majesty's] faithful subjects, without any distinction 

 whatsoever, an encouragement for pursuing a regular and 

 liberal course of education." The form which this en- 

 couragement was to take was that of " ascertaining, by 

 means of examination, the persons who have acquired 

 proficiency in Literature, Science, and Art, by the pur- 

 suit of such course of education, and of rewarding them 

 by Academical Degrees, as evidence of their respective 

 attainments, and marks of honour proportioned thereto ;" 

 and it was directed that all persons should be admitted 

 as candidates for degrees in Arts and Laws, who should 

 produce certificates of having completed the course of 

 instruction prescribed by the University either in this 

 College or in King's College, London, or in any other 

 such institution as might be authorised by the Crown 

 to issue such certificates. Hut in 1S58, the Senate of the 

 University obtained a new charter by which they were 

 empowered to admit candidates to the examinations for de- 

 grees in Arts, Laws, Science, and Music without requiring 

 them to have previously pursued any prescribed course of 

 study, or to have attended any particular place of in- 

 struction ; and since that time no other qualification has 

 been demanded of gniduates of the University of Lon- 

 don (with the exception of those who have taken degrees 

 in Medicine) than the ability to pass the appointed 

 examinations. 1 do not now propose to discuss the 

 question whether the passing of an examination only 

 affords as good ground for conferring academical dis- 

 tinction as the passing of the same examination com- 

 bined with studentship at some recognised college or 

 other educational institution ; my object at present is 



