40 THE JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY. 



vation. It is in providing that particular training to which 

 President Elior has recently called attention in the Fonim (Dec, 

 1892, Wherein Popular Education Has Failed), that geology 

 can be used to such advantage. Speaking particularly of the 

 lower education, President Eliot says it is " the judgm'ent and 

 reasoning powers " that particularly require attention. Their 

 systematic development is to be attained in the four directions 

 of " observing accurately, recording correctly, comparing, 

 grouping and inferring justly, and expressing cogently the 

 results of these mental operations." (p. 421.) The attainment 

 of these ends is one of the purposes of liberal education, whether 

 it be in the primary school or in the university. And geology, 

 or any other science, is of value in a college course in proportion 

 to its fitness for the exercise and development of these functions 

 of the student. Geology may be taught without regard to these 

 ends, and then it is valuable from the practical point of view, 

 but when we examine it in respect of its availability as a discip- 

 linary study we find it offering particular attractions. 



Using the distinction between theory and practice, which is 

 as old as Aristotle, geology in its theoretical aspect is more easily 

 comprehended than is the theoretical aspect of most of the 

 modern sciences. This arises first from the fact that the facts 

 and phenomena are of a simple and grand nature, making it pos- 

 sible for the teacher to direct certain attention to the specific 

 facts under consideration. The water of the rivers, the mud b}' 

 the road side, the rocks and sands on the shore are familiar 

 objects to all, and it is a simple matter to call attention by 

 ordinary language to the specific facts regarding them, which, 

 analyzed out, are to form the basis of exact ideas and scientific 

 definition and classification. Geology is the one science among 

 the natural sciences which may begin with the common language 

 of the pupil, and by means of such language alone may build up 

 ideas of precise phenomena in scientific terms. Physiography 

 or physical geography surpasses geology proper in this par- 

 ticular, as the admirable work of Professor Davis is showing, 

 and on this account it is the best introduction to geolog3\ But 



