PROVINCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIETIES. 
89 
treat of “ Precious Stones the soda-water maker, of “ Soda-water Manufac- 
ture the builder, of the “ Principles of Roofing the photographer, of “ the 
Chemical Agencies of Light;” the chemist, or analyst, of the “ Outlines of Chemical 
Analysis the artist, of “ Perspective-drawing Instruments the glass-dealer, 
of “ Ornamental Glass,” and so on. To do this successfully might necessitate 
a better acquaintance, on the part of the lecturer, with the principles of his 
business or profession ; but this, our readers will agree with us in saying, 
would be as advantageous to himself as it would be desirable for his hearers’ 
sake. In recommending such a course, we are not only guided by our own 
experience of what we have known to be interesting to the public, but we 
are proposing that each one should, in his own humble way, follow the 
example set Gy many of our most successful institutions ; namely, descend 
from high-flown, theoretical, and often speculative themes, to the every-day 
life of his hearers, and seek to create a fresh interest in those objects which 
come under their daily notice, and are passed by as unworthy of consi- 
deration. 
The subjects above named, for example, form part of the course delivered 
before the chemical section of the Birmingham and Midland Institute, 
one of the most thriving and successful institutions in the country, and, in 
the pamphlet before us, we find that this section is reported as “ still going 
on prosperously.” 
Glancing a little lower down, on the same page, we notice that “ the 
Penny Lectures” were attended during the winter term by 117 persons, in 
spring by 69, and in autumn by 160 ; and, in the words of the Report, “ that 
the increase of attendance during the current term is mainly due to the 
subject, ‘ The Outlines of Chemistry,’ which is the most popular.” 
These outline lectures, it would appear, are “ arranged to serve as an 
introduction to the courses in the class, the ‘ Penny Lecture ’ course termi- 
nating just before the new course in the class commences.” In this extract 
the reader will find another reason why certain lectures answer when others 
fail. Those discourses which serve only to interest for the moment, but 
have no definite object, soon pall the intellectual appetite ; but where there 
is an end to be attained, as in this case, the “ working classes ” will come to 
listen and learn, and will even subsequently enter upon a course of laborious 
study, in order to render themselves masters of some branch of science. 
There is another paragraph in this Report deserving of special notice ; namely, 
that relating to the botanical class, conducted by Dr. Hinds, as honorary 
lecturer. It is as follows ; — 
“ The class for botany has, on the ivhole, made satisfactory progress during 
the year, except in the number of members, which has not been so good as is 
desirable. Two classes of students have availed themselves of this class, 
namely, one in whose future prospects anil requirements a knowledge of 
botany is desirable or essential ,* an element, perhaps, in some future 
examination to which the student looks forward ; the other composed of 
those who study botany for its own sake, and desire to increase their 
scientific knowledge by a study of some branch of natural history. To the 
former class the Institute affords opportunities of a valuable kind, not to be 
obtained on the same terms elsewhere in Birmingham. To the latter class 
* The italics are ours. 
