evolution and ethics and other essays-第30部分

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afraid　the　parochial　authorities　would　not　let　me　off　on　this　plea；
and　I　must　confess　I　do　not　see　why　they　should。

I　cannot　speak　of　my　own　knowledge；　but　I　have　every　reason　to　believe
that　I　came　into　this　world　a　small　reddish　person；　certainly　without
a　gold　spoon　in　my　mouth；　and　in　fact　with　no　discernible　abstract　or
concrete　〃rights〃　or　property　of　any　description。　If　a　foot　was　not
set　upon　me；　at　once；　as　a　squalling　nuisance；　it　was　either　the
natural　affection　of　those　about　me；　which　I　certainly　had　done
nothing　to　deserve；　or　the　fear　of　the　law　which；　ages　before　my
birth；　was　painfully　built　up　by　the　society　into　which　I　intruded；
that　prevented　that　catastrophe。　If　I　was　nourished；　cared　for；
taught；　saved　from　the　vagabondage　of　a　wastrel；　I　certainly　am　not
aware　that　I　did　anything　to　deserve　those　advantages。　And；　if　I
possess　anything　now；　it　strikes　me　that；　though　I　may　have　fairly
earned　my　day's　wages　for　my　day's　work；　and　may　justly　call　them　my
propertyyet；　without　that　organization　of　society；　created　out　of
the　toil　and　blood　of　long　generations　before　my　time；　I　should
probably　have　had　nothing　but　a　flint　axe　and　an　indifferent　hut　to
call　my　own；　and　even　those　would　be　mine　only　so　long　as　no　stronger
savage　came　my　way。

So　that　if　society；　having；　quite　gratuitously；　＇231＇　done　all　these
things　for　me；　asks　me　in　turn　to　do　something　towards　its
preservationeven　if　that　something　is　to　contribute　to　the　teaching
of　other　men's　childrenI　really　in　spite　of　all　my　individualist
leanings；　feel　rather　ashamed　to　say　no。　And　if　I　were　not　ashamed；　I
cannot　say　that　I　think　that　society　would　be　dealing　unjustly　with　me
in　converting　the　moral　obligation　into　a　legal　one。　There　is　a
manifest　unfairness　in　letting　all　the　burden　be　borne　by　the　willing
horse。

It　does　not　appear　to　me；　then；　that　there　is　any　valid　objection　to
taxation　for　purposes　of　education；　but；　in　the　case　of　technical
schools　and　classes；　I　think　it　is　practically　expedient　that　such　a
taxation　should　be　local。　Our　industrial　population　accumulates　in
particular　towns　and　districts；　these　districts　are　those　which
immediately　profit　by　technical　education；　and　it　is　only　in　them　that
we　can　find　the　men　practically　engaged　in　industries；　among　whom　some
may　reasonably　be　expected　to　be　competent　judges　of　that　which　is
wanted；　and　of　the　best　means　of　meeting　the　want。

In　my　belief；　all　methods　of　technical　training　are　at　present
tentative；　and；　to　be　successful；　each　must　be　adapted　to　the　special
peculiarities　of　its　locality。　This　is　a　case　in　which　we　want　twenty
years；　not　of　〃strong　government；〃　but　of　cheerful　and　hopeful
blundering；　and　we　may　be　＇232＇　thankful　if　we　get　things　straight　in
that　time。

The　principle　of　the　Bill　introduced；　but　dropped；　by　the　Government
last　session；　appears　to　me　to　be　wise；　and　some　of　the　objections　to
it　I　think　are　due　to　a　misunderstanding。　The　bill　proposed　in
substance　to　allow　localities　to　tax　themselves　for　purposes　of
technical　educationon　the　condition　that　any　scheme　for　such　purpose
should　be　submitted　to　the　Science　and　Art　Department；　and　declared　by
that　department　to　be　in　accordance　with　the　intention　of　the
Legislature。

A　cry　was　raised　that　the　Bill　proposed　to　throw　technical　education
into　the　hands　of　the　Science　and　Art　Department。　But；　in　reality；　no
power　of　initiation；　nor　even　of　meddling　with　details；　was　given　to
that　Departmentthe　sole　function　of　which　was　to　decide　whether　any
plan　proposed　did　or　did　not　come　within　the　limits　of　〃technical
education。〃　The　necessity　for　such　control；　somewhere；　is　obvious。　No
legislature；　certainly　not　ours；　is　likely　to　grant　the　power　of
self…taxation　without　setting　limits　to　that　power　in　some　way；　and　it
would　neither　have　been　practicable　to　devise　a　legal　definition　of
technical　education；　nor　commendable　to　leave　the　question　to　the
Auditor…General；　to　be　fought　out　in　the　law…courts。　The　only
alternative　was　to　leave　the　decision　to　an　appropriate　State
authority。　If　it　is　＇233＇　asked　what　is　the　need　of　such　control　if
the　people　of　the　localities　are　the　best　judges；　the　obvious　reply　is
that　there　are　localities　and　localities；　and　that　while　Manchester；
or　Liverpool；　or　Birmingham；　or　Glasgow　might；　perhaps；　be　safely　left
to　do　as　they　thought　fit；　smaller　towns；　in　which　there　is　less
certainty　of　full　discussion　by　competent　people　of　different　ways　of
thinking；　might　easily　fall　a　prey　to　crocheteers。

Supposing　our　intermediate　science　teaching　and　our　technical　schools
and　classes　are　established；　there　is　yet　a　third　need　to　be　supplied；
and　that　is　the　want　of　good　teachers。　And　it　is　necessary　not　only　to
get　them；　but　to　keep　them　when　you　have　got　them。

It　is　impossible　to　insist　too　strongly　upon　the　fact　that　the
efficient　teachers　of　science　and　of　technology　are　not　to　be　made　by
the　processes　in　vogue　at　ordinary　training　colleges。　The　memory
loaded　with　mere　bookwork　is　not　the　thing　wantedis；　in　fact；　rather
worse　than　uselessin　the　teacher　of　scientific　subjects。　It　is
absolutely　essential　that　his　mind　should　be　full　of　knowledge　and　not
of　mere　learning；　and　that　what　he　knows　should　have　been　learned　in
the　laboratory　rather　than　in　the　library。　There　are　happily　already；
both　in　London　and　in　the　provinces；　various　places　in　which　such
training　is　to　be　had；　and　the　main　thing　at　present　is　to　make　it　in
the　first　place　accessible；　and　in　the　next　＇234＇　indispensable；　to
those　who　undertake　the　business　of　teaching。　But　when　the　well…trained
men　are　supplied；　it　must　be　recollected　that　the　profession　of
teacher　is　not　a　very　lucrative　or　otherwise　tempting　one；　and　that　it
may　be　advisable　to　offer　special　inducements　to　good　men　to　remain　in
it。　These；　however；　are　questions　of　detail　into　which　it　is
unnecessary　to　enter　further。

Last；　but　not　least；　comes　the　question　of　providing　the　machinery　for
enabling　those　who　are　by　nature　specially　qualified　to　undertake　the
higher　branches　of　industrial　work；　to　reach　the　position　in　which
they　may　render　that　service　to　the　community。　If　all　our　educational
expenditure　did　nothing　but　pick　one　man　of　scientific　or　inventive
genius；　each　year；　from　amidst　the　hewers　of　wood　and　drawers　of
water；　and　give　him　the　chance　of　making　the　best　of　his　inborn
faculties；　it　would　be　a　very　good　investment。　　If　there　is　one　such
child　among　the　hundreds　of　thousands　of　our　annual　increase；　it　would
be　worth　any　money　to　drag　him　either　from　the　slough　of　misery；　or
from　the　hotbed　of　wealth；　and　teach　him　to　devote　himself　to　the
service　of　his　people。　Here；　again；　we　have　made　a　beginning　with　our
scholarships　and　the　like；　and　need　only　follow　in　the　tracks　already
worn。

The　programme　of　industrial　development　briefly　set　forth　in　the
preceding　pages　is　not　what　Kant　calls　a　〃Hirngespinnst；〃　a　cobweb
＇235＇　spun　in　the　brain　of　a　Utopian　philosopher。　More　or　less　of　it
has　taken　bodily　shape　in　many　parts　of　the　country；　and　there　are
towns　of　no　great　size　or　wealth　in　the　manufacturing　districts
（Keighley；　for　example）　in　which　almost　the　whole　of　it　has；　for　some
time；　been　carried　out；　so　far　as　the　means　at　the　disposal　of　the
energetic　and　public…spirited　men　who　have　taken　the　matter　in　hand
permitted。　The　thing　can　be　done；　I　have　endeavoured　to　show　good
grounds　for　the　belief　that　it　must　be　done；　and　that　speedily；　if　we
wish　to　hold　our　own　in　the　war　of　industry。　I　doubt　not　that　it　will
be　done；　whenever　its　absolute　necessity　becomes　as　apparent　to　all
those　who　are　absorbed　in　the　actual　business　of　industrial　life　as　it
is　to　some　of　the　lookers　on。

Perhaps　it　is　necessary　for　me　to　add　that　technical　education　is　not
here　proposed　as　a　panacea　for　social　diseases；　but　simply　as　a
medicament　which　will　help　the　patient　to　pass　through　an　imminent
crisis。

An　ophthalmic　surgeon　may　recommend　an　operation　for　cataract　in　a　man
who　is　going　blind；　without　being　supposed　to　undertake　that　it　will
cure　him　of　gout。　And　I　may　pursue　the　metaphor　so　far　as　to　remark；
that　the　surgeon　is　justified　in　pointing　out　that　a　diet　of
pork…chops　and　burgundy　will　probably　kill　his　patient；　though　he　may
be　quite　able　to　suggest　a　mode　of　living　＇236＇　which　will　free　him
from　his　constitutional　disorder。

Mr。　Booth　asks　me；　Why　do　you　not　propose　some　plan　of　your　own？
Really；　that　is　no　answer　to　my　argument　that　his　treatment　will　make
the　patient　very　much　worse。　＇Note　added　in　Social　Diseases　and　Worse
Remedies；　January；　1891。＇

＇237＇


　　　　　　　　　　LETTERS　TO　THE　〃Times〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ON　THE

　　　　　　　　　〃DARKEST　ENGLAND　SCHEME。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I。

The　〃Times；〃　December　1st；　1890

SIR：　A　short　time　ago　a　generous　and　philanthropic　friend　wrote　to　me；
placing　at　my　disposal　a　large　sum　of　money　for　the　furtherance　of　the
vast　scheme　which　the　〃General〃　of　the　Salvation　Army　has　propounded；
if　I　thought　it　worthy　of　support。　The　responsibility　of　advising　my
benevolent　correspondent　has　weighed　heavily　upon　me；　but　I　felt　that
it　would　be　cowardly；　as　well　as　ungracious；　to　refuse　to　accept　it。　I
have　therefore　studied　Mr。　Booth's　book　with　some　care；　for　the
purpose　of　separating　the　essential　from　the　accessory　features　of　his
project；　and　I　have　based　my　judgmentI　am　sorry　to　say　an
unfavourable　oneupon　the　data　thus　obtained。　Before　communicating　my
conclusions　to　my　friend；　however；　I　am　desirous　to　know　what　there
may　be　to　be　said　in　arrest　of　that　judgment；　＇238＇　and　the　matter　is
of　such　vast　public　importance　that　I　trust　you　will　aid　me　by
publishing　this　letter；　notwithstanding　its　length。

There　are　one　or　two　points　upon　which　I　imagine　all　thinking　men　have
arrived　at　the　same　convictions　as　those　from　which　Mr。　Booth　starts。
It　is　certain　that　there　is　an　immense　amount　of　remediable　misery
among　us；　that；　in　addition　to　the　poverty；　disease；　and　degradation
which　are　the　consequences　of　causes　beyond　human　control；　there　is　a
vast；　probably　a　very　much　larger；　quantity　of　misery　which　is　the
result　of　individual　ignorance；　or　misconduct；　and　o