724 National Scientific Appointments . [November, 
Fadts have, indeed, lately come to light which might 
render all further argument needless if “ cram,” like many 
other absurdities, had not ninetyfold the “ nine lives ” which 
the popular proverb assigns to cats. The “ Chemical News,” 
in its 4 c Students’ Number” for the session 1879-80, informs us, 
on the authority of Prof. Huxley, that “ not so very long ago 
a certain student, who had never handled a disseCting-knife, 
carried off the B.A. prize as well as honours in Animal 
Physiology by dint of an excellent memory, and is now a 
Government clerk, whilst a contemporary of his who in the 
same year carried off prizes and honours in Chemistry, 
without having ever cleaned a test-tube in his life, is now 
one of our leading musical composers and critics.” What 
man of ordinary common sense can fail to see the absurdi- 
ties which in these two cases lie piled up, layer upon layer? 
Or what unprejudiced mind can require further evidence for 
the necessity of a great and a total change ? 
An official document has lately been issued, announcing 
that “ open competitive examinations ” will shortly be held 
for two scientific appointments, viz., that of Assistant-Keeper 
in the South Kensington Museum (Science Branch), and 
that of Assistant Naturalist in the Natural-History Depart- 
ment of the Dublin Museum of Science and Art. The 
process consists of two parts. There is a preliminary scru- 
tiny in hand-writing, orthography, arithmetic, English com- 
position, and translation from Latin, French, or German 
into English. Without satisfactory proficiency be shown 
in all these subjects the candidate is allowed to proceed no 
farther. If successful, he is then admitted to the competi- 
tive ordeal itself, consisting of an “obligatory” and an 
“optional” branch. The former comprises in any case 
elementary mathematics, in which 500 marks are obtain- 
able, and “ any two of the seven following subjects : inor- 
ganic chemistry, which may count for 500 marks ; organic 
chemistry, for 250; physics, for 750 ; zoology, 500; botany, 
500 ; geology and mineralogy, 500 ; physiology, 500 ; and 
drawing, 500.” 
The “ optional ” department embraces any of the above 
seven subjects which the candidate has not selected as obli- 
gatory, and in addition any of the following : — “ Higher 
mathematics (pure), 1000 ; theoretical mechanics, 500 ; 
applied mechanics, 500 ; French, 500 ; German, 500 ; Latin, 
400; Italian, 400; Greek, 400; and English History, 400.” 
Having expressed our gratification that the examinees 
are not required to be “ up ” in heraldry, international 
law, book-keeping by double entry, Mexican archaeo- 
