August 1, 1864.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



ON THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES WHICH FORM THE BASIS OF 

 TECHNOLOGY. 



. , - BY THE LATE GEORGE WILSON, M.D., E.R.S.E., 

 REGIUS PROFESSOR OF TECHNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. 



I have endeavoured to define the objects of Technology. I propose, on 

 this occasion, to consider the physical sciences on which it is based. 

 Yet at the outset I cannot but ask myself, which of these sciences does 

 not lend support to Technology, and on what plea shall any be omitted 

 from the list of its ministers ? In reality, none can be. Technology is 

 the sum or complement of all the sciences, which either are, or may be 

 made, applicable to the industrial labours or utilitarian necessities of 

 man. But though this be the case, certain departments of knowledge 

 stand so much more closely related than others to the recurring urgen- 

 cies of daily labour, that to them a pre-eminent importance must be 

 assigned in any endeavour to number the scientific pillars on which 

 Technology rests. And, in the first place, to narrow our horizon within 

 limits that can be compassed, let me remind you that our science minis- 

 ters only to the physical necessities of man. It does not acknowledge 

 his imagination, or directly concern itself with his ascription of beauty 

 to some things, and of ugliness to others. It does not acknowledge his 

 heart, or take heed of his loves and his hates, his exultations and 

 despairs. It does not acknowledge his conscience, or care about right or 

 wrong, or affect any interest in his moral welfare. It does not even pay 

 court to his intellect, or profess sympathy with his cravings after know- 

 ledge for its own sake, his impatience of ignorance, and longings for 

 perfection. It knows him only as the paragon of animals, the most 

 helpless, though most gifted of them all ; and seeks only to meet his 

 fleshly wants ; to enlarge the practical empire of his senses ; to make 

 his arms stronger, his ringers nimbler, his feet swifter, and with help 

 from Hygienics, his frame more stalwart, himself a more smoothly 

 moving, well-ordered, living machine. 



vol. v. B 



