334 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. — lOJfi. 



The replies received show that these conditions are rare among 

 lecturers; and failure is often ascribed to the absence of them. A sub- 

 ject and style appropriate to a lecture at the Eoyal Institution are 

 unsuitable for a working-class audience such as that at the Eoyal 

 Victoria Hall, though this is sometimes forgotten. The Librarian and 

 Director of the Sunderland Public Libraries, Museum, and Art Gallery, 

 remarks : ' The expertness of the lecturer and his constant association 

 with experts often causes him to be ignorant of the ignorance of his 

 audience. On the other hand, he is occasionally patronising. In fail- 

 ing to approach his subject from their point of view he is occasionally 

 " over their heads," and, despite his specialisation, frequently fails 

 where " a man of the people," or a non-expert, will succeed with less 

 knowledge, but better judgment. There should be the same difference 

 between a " popular lecture " and a scientific discourse, as between an 

 interesting primer and an advanced scientific treatise in literature. The 

 successful " popular " lecturer is, I think, more rare than the advanced 

 or scientific lecturer. Failure maj' possibly be attributed to the growth 

 of light-entertainment halls, or maybe to a wider and more popular 

 treatment of subjects in the Press. There is also a greater literature 

 now, and a wider circulation of it through libraries. ' 



Even in lectures to local scientific societies the subjects are fre- 

 quently treated in too advanced a manner, and are therefore unintelli- 

 gible to many of the audience. It is suggested by some correspondents 

 that if more attention were given to science in schools there would be 

 a larger attendance at popular lectures ; but much depends upon the 

 nature of the science teaching. The Principal of the Technical School, 

 Barrow-in-Furness, writes: ' I am afraid that one of the causes lies 

 in the dreary nature of the instruction in " science " given in the day- 

 schools (secondary). No one here who has learnt chemistry, for 

 instance, in a day-school seems to wish to learn more.' 



The thirst for amusement and excitement, no doubt, accounts 

 largely for want of interest in science by the great majority of the 

 public. There are now so many counter-attractions, such as picture 

 palaces, music-halls," and other places of entertainment, that tlie 

 gen(eral pixblic is attracted to them rather than ,to lectui-es which 

 require mental effort to understand them. ' People want recreation 

 after the day's work, and prefer amusement rather than instruction.' 



Experience shows that in an ordinary provincial town there is 

 usually a small minority of intelligent persons who profit considerably 

 from popular or semi-popular science lectures, but that the general 

 community of the district is untouched by them. ' Such attempts as 

 have been made to reach larger audiences, with a low standard of 

 education, by means of ultra-popular lectures have proved failures * 

 (Gloucester). In this, as in most cases, lectures of the instnictive 

 type are refen-ed to, and not those which aim at the appreciation of 

 science as a living force in social economics or State affairs. Mr. 

 H. J. Lowe, Secretary of the Torquay Natural History Society, 

 remarks : ' The only way I can see to helping science into its proper 

 position as an essential in national development is by the recognition 

 and proclamation by the Government and educational authorities of its 



