on the study of zoology-第5部分

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phenomena　which　pass　before　their　eyes；　and　that　its　second　object　is
to　inform　them　of　the　fundamental　laws　which　have　been　found　by
experience　to　govern　the　course　of　things；　so　that　they　may　not　be
turned　out　into　the　world　naked；　defenceless；　and　a　prey　to　the　events
they　might　control。

A　boy　is　taught　to　read　his　own　and　other　languages；　in　order　that　he
may　have　access　to　infinitely　wider　stores　of　knowledge　than　could　ever
be　opened　to　him　by　oral　intercourse　with　his　fellow　men；　he　learns　to
write；　that　his　means　of　communication　with　the　rest　of　mankind　may　be
indefinitely　enlarged；　and　that　he　may　record　and　store　up　the　knowledge
he　acquires。　He　is　taught　elementary　mathematics；　that　he　may
understand　all　those　relations　of　number　and　form；　upon　which　the
transactions　of　men；　associated　in　complicated　societies；　are　built；
and　that　he　may　have　some　practice　in　deductive　reasoning。

All　these　operations　of　reading；　writing；　and　ciphering；　are
intellectual　tools；　whose　use　should；　before　all　things；　be　learned；
and　learned　thoroughly；　so　that　the　youth　may　be　enabled　to　make　his
life　that　which　it　ought　to　be；　a　continual　progress　in　learning　and　in
wisdom。

But；　in　addition；　primary　education　endeavours　to　fit　a　boy　out　with　a
certain　equipment　of　positive　knowledge。　　He　is　taught　the　great　laws
of　morality；　the　religion　of　his　sect；　so　much　history　and　geography　as
will　tell　him　where　the　great　countries　of　the　world　are；　what　they
are；　and　how　they　have　become　what　they　are。

Without　doubt　all　these　are　most　fitting　and　excellent　things　to　teach　a
boy；　I　should　be　very　sorry　to　omit　any　of　them　from　any　scheme　of
primary　intellectual　education。　　The　system　is　excellent；　so　far　as　it
goes。

But　if　I　regard　it　closely；　a　curious　reflection　arises。　　I　suppose
that；　fifteen　hundred　years　ago；　the　child　of　any　well…to…do　Roman
citizen　was　taught　just　these　same　things；　reading　and　writing　in　his
own；　and；　perhaps；　the　Greek　tongue；　the　elements　of　mathematics；　and
the　religion；　morality；　history；　and　geography　current　in　his　time。
Furthermore；　I　do　not　think　I　err　in　affirming；　that；　if　such　a
Christian　Roman　boy；　who　had　finished　his　education；　could　be
transplanted　into　one　of　our　public　schools；　and　pass　through　its　course
of　instruction；　he　would　not　meet　with　a　single　unfamiliar　line　of
thought；　amidst　all　the　new　facts　he　would　have　to　learn；　not　one　would
suggest　a　different　mode　of　regarding　the　universe　from　that　current　in
his　own　time。

And　yet　surely　there　is　some　great　difference　between　the　civilization
of　the　fourth　century　and　that　of　the　nineteenth；　and　still　more
between　the　intellectual　habits　and　tone　of　thought　of　that　day　and
this？

And　what　has　made　this　difference？　　I　answer　fearlesslyThe　prodigious
development　of　physical　science　within　the　last　two　centuries。

Modern　civilization　rests　upon　physical　science；　take　away　her　gifts　to
our　own　country；　and　our　position　among　the　leading　nations　of　the
world　is　gone　to…morrow；　for　it　is　physical　science　only；　that　makes
intelligence　and　moral　energy　stronger　than　brute　force。

The　whole　of　modern　thought　is　steeped　in　science；　it　has　made　its　way
into　the　works　of　our　best　poets；　and　even　the　mere　man　of　letters；　who
affects　to　ignore　and　despise　science；　is　unconsciously　impregnated
with　her　spirit；　and　indebted　for　his　best　products　to　her　methods。　I
believe　that　the　greatest　intellectual　revolution　mankind　has　yet　seen
is　now　slowly　taking　place　by　her　agency。　　She　is　teaching　the　world
that　the　ultimate　court　of　appeal　is　observation　and　experiment；　and
not　authority；　she　is　teaching　it　to　estimate　the　value　of　evidence；　she
is　creating　a　firm　and　living　faith　in　the　existence　of　immutable　moral
and　physical　laws；　perfect　obedience　to　which　is　the　highest　possible
aim　of　an　intelligent　being。

But　of　all　this　your　old　stereotyped　system　of　education　takes　no　note。
Physical　science；　its　methods；　its　problems；　and　its　difficulties；　will
meet　the　poorest　boy　at　every　turn；　and　yet　we　educate　him　in　such　a
manner　that　he　shall　enter　the　world　as　ignorant　of　the　existence　of
the　methods　and　facts　of　science　as　the　day　he　was　born。　　The　modern
world　is　full　of　artillery；　and　we　turn　out　our　children　to　do　battle
in　it；　equipped　with　the　shield　and　sword　of　an　ancient　gladiator。

Posterity　will　cry　shame　on　us　if　we　do　not　remedy　this　deplorable　state
of　things。　　Nay；　if　we　live　twenty　years　longer；　our　own　consciences
will　cry　shame　on　us。

It　is　my　firm　conviction　that　the　only　way　to　remedy　it　is；　to　make　the
elements　of　physical　science　an　integral　part　of　primary　education。　　I
have　endeavoured　to　show　you　how　that　may　be　done　for　that　branch　of
science　which　it　is　my　business　to　pursue；　and　I　can　but　add；　that　I
should　look　upon　the　day　when　every　schoolmaster　throughout　this　land
was　a　centre　of　genuine；　however　rudimentary；　scientific　knowledge；　as
an　epoch　in　the　history　of　the　country。

But　let　me　entreat　you　to　remember　my　last　words。　　Addressing　myself　to
you；　as　teachers；　I　would　say；　mere　book　learning　in　physical　science
is　a　sham　and　a　delusionwhat　you　teach；　unless　you　wish　to　be
impostors；　that　you　must　first　know；　and　real　knowledge　in　science
means　personal　acquaintance　with　the　facts；　be　they　few　or　many。*

　　　　＇footnote＇　*It　has　been　suggested　to　me　that　these　words　may
　　　　be　taken　to　imply　a　discouragement　on　my　part　of　any　sort
　　　　of　scientific　instruction　which　does　not　give　an
　　　　acquaintance　with　the　facts　at　first　hand。　　But　this　is　not
　　　　my　meaning。　　The　ideal　of　scientific　teaching　is；　no　doubt；
　　　　a　system　by　which　the　scholar　sees　every　fact　for　himself；
　　　　and　the　teacher　supplies　only　the　explanations。
　　　　Circumstances；　however；　do　not　often　allow　of　the
　　　　attainment　of　that　ideal；　and　we　must　put　up　with　the　next
　　　　best　systemone　in　which　the　scholar　takes　a　good　deal　on
　　　　trust　from　a　teacher；　who；　knowing　the　facts　by　his　own
　　　　knowledge；　can　describe　them　with　so　much　vividness　as　to
　　　　enable　his　audience　to　form　competent　ideas　concerning
　　　　them。　　The　system　which　I　repudiate　is　that　which　allows
　　　　teachers　who　have　not　come　into　direct　contact　with　the
　　　　leading　facts　of　a　science　to　pass　their　second…hand
　　　　information　on。　The　scientific　virus；　like　vaccine　lymph；
　　　　if　passed　through　too　long　a　succession　of　organisms；　will
　　　　lose　all　its　effect　in　protecting　the　young　against　the
　　　　intellectual　epidemics　to　which　they　are　exposed。







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