752 
PROFESSOR MORTON’S 
Firstly, Any one who is at all in the habit of reading must 
be aware that books contain much matter which, although neces- 
sary to render them complete, is not necessary for a student to 
know. This matter, too, is often the most difficult to be under- 
stood. The student meets with it, and he finds that he cannot 
master it. He tries, but in vain ; and if he has no friend to help 
him, he throws the book aside in despair. 
Secondly, The information necessary to be gained is often 
scattered over a wide extent of surface. Now in lectures the 
speaker performs for the student the arduous duty of gathering 
the honey from the various flowers of science, and he presents it 
to him freed from the impurities of error and the complexities of 
imperfect description. 
Further, when different views are taken of a subject by differ- 
ent authors, he condenses them, discovers their agreements 
and discrepancies, argues on their probabilities, and offers those 
which will best bear the test of reason. Surely, no one can deny 
that these are advantages. 
The teacher likewise exhibits to his class the different sub- 
stances that are described, and thus they obtain definite notions 
of the agents employed. 
Experiments are also performed, and the practical knowledge 
which is thus acquired can never be realized by the mere reading 
of books ; for mere words often leave no impression behind 
them — they are as evanescent as the tints of a rainbow, and 
vanish as soon as the sonorous vibrations which produce them 
cease to impinge upon the ear. Not so with experiments. These 
impress the mind with the truths of the science dwelt upon, and 
they inculcate those principles which time cannot efface; if so 
be — I repeat it, if so be — on the part of the student there has 
been that earnest attention which the subject merits. 
Professor Thomson has truly said, “ experiments, when seen, are 
the most convincing proofs of the propositions of natural philoso- 
phy. They have, besides, a power of arresting the attention of the 
indifferent observer by a display of striking and extraordinary 
phenomena ; and they awaken curiosity to search further into 
the nature of the subject which they illustrate. In pursuing the 
inquiry, other appearances, equally impressive as the first, will 
present themselves, and augment the ardour of research; and 
thus, many persons, who by no other means could have been in- 
duced to follow out a long chain of reasoning, are led step by 
step to the knowledge of general principles, and obtain posses- 
sion of the most useful and most brilliant truths in science.” 
It has always appeared to me, that while much may un- 
questionably be gained from attendance upon lectures — more, 
