42 Mac Leod, The Place of Science in History. 



of writing a fresh book on this subject. We would only 

 observe that in this matter one should not rest on one 

 single principle, or limit oneself to the use of one single 

 means. On the contrary, many means must be employed 

 at one and the same time, each contributing a little to 

 bring us nearer to the desired end. 



The teaching of the history of the exact and natural 

 sciences and of their applications, is one of the means 

 which one can employ to improve men, to further the 

 unfolding of their qualities and to stifle their defects. 



This history offers us the spectacle of progress 

 achieved by peaceful work. It teaches us how apparently 

 insurmountable difficulties have been vanquished by will 

 and perseverance. It shows us how gigantic works have 

 been accomplished without riches, without power, by the 

 might of thought enriched by knowledge. When it 

 speaks to us of Archimedes and of Simon Stevin, it shows 

 us the man of science playing a part in war, not in any 

 conquering spirit, without any desire for military glory, 

 but merely to repel an invader. And finally it shows us 

 at work the great superior guiding force, which is the 

 great impulse to the discovery of truth. 



Such instruction should have no recourse to fiction ; 

 it is a simple story of realities. It can exercise its 

 influence for good on all spirits : on those which are 

 attracted towards abstract ideas, and on those which 

 hold rather to tangible realities. 



The history of natural sciences can be taught in 

 many ways, for example, by means of books and classes, 

 and many a good piece of work of this sort has already 

 been carried out. It is desirable to multiply the number 

 of classes, more diffuse the books and publish new ones. 



One can go further. The history of science may be 

 considered as a complement to the teaching of history, 



