55 



ist March, 1887. 



William H. Patterson, Esq., M.R.I.A., in the Chair. 



William Gray, Esq., M.R.I.A., read a Paper on 



TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND OUR METHODS OF 

 PROMOTING IT. 



Mr. Gray commenced his lecture by tracing the development 

 of animals, and stated that man is the highest form of animal 

 organisation ; that henceforth all improvement must be by 

 man's powers of adapting the phenomena of nature to serve 

 his purposes, and not by adapting himself to his surroundings 

 as the mere animal did. His first effort was, doubtless, the 

 formation of a weapon or tool, and his few rudely-fashioned 

 stone implements were the first step outside of, and beyond the 

 capacity of, any previously existing animal, thereby initiating 

 those processes which culminated in the higher achievements 

 of mechanical skill, demonstrating that necessity is the mother 

 of invention, and foreshadowing the advantages of that com- 

 petition which is the life of trade. The phenomena of mind, 

 the new factor in the struggle for existence, early attracted 

 the attention of increasing mankind, and gave rise to schools 

 of mental speculation, employed in formulating the laws on 

 which the security of society depends : so that in the earliest 

 ages, and in the infancy of nations, it was found that no pro- 

 gress could be made until an obedience to law and order was first 

 established. 



Mr. Gray, having traced the rise and progress of the indus- 

 trial arts from the East through the Romans to Britain, 

 explained that our insular position was not unfavourable to the 



