TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 41 



was giving to chemistry a repulsive aspect, and which rendered the passage even 

 of the outer gate difficult to those who wished to enter its domains ; namely, the 

 two systems of nomenclature at present in use amongst chemists. 



He wished to call attention to a question of every day occurrence and of great 

 practical importance, namely — what kind of chemical notation shall be taught to 

 hoys at school ? That since the requirements of the Chemical Examiners were not 

 alike, arose the question of not so much " What shall we teach p" as " How shall 

 we teach it? " He hoped that the discussion of these questions would lead to some 

 definite result ; which would he of great weight and value as hearing the sanction 

 of the Chemical Section of the British Association, — a result much to be desired, 

 as the inconvenience at present suffered by many teachers from the present unsatis- 

 factory state of things was very great. 



He called attention to the inexpediency of printing any book, intended as a text- 

 book for beginners, with the old and new formulae side by side. 



1st. He found by practice that the old formulae are more easily understood than 

 the new ; and even when a student was told to learn only one/he generally read 

 both, and frequently ended by understanding neither. 



2nd. That it is difficult to teach the new formulae to students who know some- 

 thing of the old, especially if the text-book contains both ; and more so when the 

 student is not a constant attendant in a laboratorv. 



3rd. That in order to teach the new symbols successfully; sets of text-books con- 

 taining the new symbols only must be used, especially for school-boys. 



It is of great importance that those who have to teach in school's, should know 

 not merely what to teach, but have some general understanding or common consent 

 as to the terms and language in which their instruction is to be conveyed ; and 

 further, have some authoritative sanction for so strong a measure as the 'introduc- 

 tion of new symbols before their use is generally required. With this view the 

 following questions are submitted : — 



1st. Are the new symbols really essential ? Are the advantages gained practi- 

 cally so great as to demand the sacrifices required by the change ? 



Physicians, tutors, and others not professed chemists' who have a respectable 

 knowledge of chemistry according to the old system, will find themselves unable 

 to comprehend and teach the new, without a fresh course of chemical study. 



2nd. If the new symbols are really necessary, they ought to be taught at once to 

 all persons beginning to learn chemistry ; above all, to boys. 



3rd. From what has been before stated, it follows that if the new formula? are 

 to be used in schools^ books written with the old formulas are useless as school- 

 books. This is a difficulty which may be overcome by the issue of new editions, 

 but publishers no doubt will look with suspicion on books treating of a science 

 which can deal with such wholesale reform, and writers with unsold editions 

 would be in an evil case. 



It will of course require some authoritative enunciation before people will quietly 

 turn aside from their books, old friends, the companions and assistants of years, 

 and see their places taken by younger and newer productions with which they feel 

 little in common ; and they will heave many a sigh to think that a change so small 

 in apparent good, should cause them so much trouble and annoyance. It will not 

 be at the desire of a single examiner or professor that a master will allow his pupils 

 to learn new symbols, or agree to banish the old class-books and order new ones. 

 There is therefore much to be considered in the proposed change. 



GEOLOGY. 



Address by Sir Roderick I. Murchison, K.C.B., G.C. St.A., D.O.L., LL.D., 

 F.R.S., V.P.G.S., Director-General of the Geological Survey, and President 

 of the Royal Geographical Society, President of the Section. 



Ladies and Gentlemen, — Gratefully remembering the cordiality with which 

 the men of science were received here in the year 1839, and again in 1849, and 



