按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
an Eve； a new and greater world； that of social and moral
phenomena； would be revealed。 Joys and woes； compared with which
all others might seem but faint shadows； would spring from the new
relations。 Happiness and sorrow would take the place of the
coarser monitors； pleasure and pain； but conduct would still be
shaped by the observation of the natural consequences of actions；
or； in other words； by the laws of the nature of man。
To every one of us the world was once as fresh and new as to Adam。
And then； long before we were susceptible of any other modes of
instruction； Nature took us in hand； and every minute of waking
life brought its educational influence； shaping our actions into
rough accordance with Nature's laws； so that we might not be ended
untimely by too gross disobedience。 Nor should I speak of this
process of education as past for any one； be he as old as he may。
For every man the world is as fresh as it was at the first day； and
as full of untold novelties for him who has the eyes to see them。
And Nature is still continuing her patient education of us in that
great university； the universe； of which we are all membersNature
having no Test…Acts。＇54＇
Those who take honours in Nature's university； who learn the laws
which govern men and things and obey them； are the really great and
successful men in this world。 The great mass of mankind are the
〃Poll；〃＇55＇ who pick up just enough to get through without much
discredit。 Those who won't learn at all are plucked；＇56＇ and then
you can't come up again。 Nature's pluck means extermination。
Thus the question of compulsory education is settled so far as
Nature is concerned。 Her bill on that question was framed and
passed long ago。 But； like all compulsory legislation； that of
Nature is harsh and wasteful in its operation。 Ignorance is
visited as sharply as wilful disobedienceincapacity meets with
the same punishment as crime。 Nature's discipline is not even a
word and a blow； and the blow first； but the blow without the word。
It is left to you to find out why your ears are boxed。
The object of what we commonly call educationthat education in
which man intervenes and which I shall distinguish as artificial
educationis to make good these defects in Nature's methods； to
prepare the child to receive Nature's education； neither incapably
nor ignorantly； nor with wilful disobedience； and to understand the
preliminary symptoms of her pleasure； without waiting for the box
on the ear。 In short； all artificial education ought to be an
anticipation of natural education。 And a liberal education is an
artificial education which has not only prepared a man to escape
the great evils of disobedience to natural laws； but has trained
him to appreciate and to seize upon the rewards； which Nature
scatters with as free a hand as her penalties。
That man； I think； has had a liberal education who has been so
trained in youth that his body is the ready servant of his will；
and does with ease and pleasure all the work that； as a mechanism；
it is capable of； whose intellect is a clear； cold； logic engine；
with all its parts of equal strength； and in smooth working order；
ready； like a steam engine； to be turned to any kind of work； and
spin the gossamers as well as forge the anchors of the mind； whose
mind is stored with a knowledge of the great and fundamental truths
of Nature and of the laws of her operations； one who； no stunted
ascetic； is full of life and fire； but whose passions are trained
to come to heel by a vigorous will； the servant of a tender
conscience； who has learned to love all beauty； whether of Nature
or of art； to hate all vileness； and to respect others as himself。
Such an one and no other； I conceive； has had a liberal education；
for he is； as completely as a man can be； in harmony with Nature。
He will make the best of her； and she of him。 They will get on
together rarely； she as his ever beneficent mother； he as her
mouthpiece； her conscious self； her minister and interpreter。
ON A PIECE OF CHALK ＇57＇
If a well were sunk at our feet in the midst of the city of
Norwich； the diggers would very soon find themselves at work in
that white substance almost too soft to be called rock； with which
we are all familiar as 〃chalk。〃
Not only here； but over the whole county of Norfolk； the well…
sinker might carry his shaft down many hundred feet without coming
to the end of the chalk； and； on the sea…coast； where the waves
have pared away the face of the land which breasts them； the
scarped faces of the high cliffs are often wholly formed of the
same material。 Northward； the chalk may be followed as far as
Yorkshire； on the south coast it appears abruptly in the
picturesque western bays of Dorset； and breaks into the Needles of
the Isle of Wight；＇58＇ while on the shores of Kent it supplies that
long line of white cliffs to which England owes her name of Albion。
Were the thin soil which covers it all washed away； a curved band
of white chalk； here broader； and there narrower； might be followed
diagonally across England from Lulworth in Dorset； to Flamborough
Head ＇59＇ in Yorkshirea distance of over two hundred and eighty
miles as the crow flies。
From this band to the North Sea； on the east； and the Channel； on
the South； the chalk is largely hidden by other deposits； but；
except in the Weald ＇60＇ of Kent and Sussex； it enters into the
very foundation of all the south…eastern counties。
Attaining； as it does in some places； a thickness of more than a
thousand feet； the English chalk must be admitted to be a mass of
considerable magnitude。 Nevertheless； it covers but an
insignificant portion of the whole area occupied by the chalk
formation of the globe； which has precisely the same general
characters as ours； and is found in detached patches； some less；
and others more extensive； than the English。
Chalk occurs in north…west Ireland； it stretches over a large part
of France；the chalk which underlies Paris being； in fact； a
continuation of that of the London basin； it runs through Denmark
and Central Europe； and extends southward to North Africa； while
eastward； it appears in the Crimea and in Syria； and may be traced
as far as the shores of the Sea of Aral； in Central Asia。
If all the points at which true chalk occurs were circumscribed；
they would lie within an irregular oval about three thousand miles
in long diameterthe area of which would be as great as that of
Europe； and would many times exceed that of the largest existing
inland seathe Mediterranean。
Thus the chalk is no unimportant element in the masonry of the
earth's crust； and it impresses a peculiar stamp； varying with the
conditions to which it is exposed； on the scenery of the districts
in which it occurs。 The undulating downs and rounded coombs；
covered with sweet…grassed turf； of our inland chalk country； have
a peacefully domestic and mutton…suggesting prettiness； but can
hardly be called either grand or beautiful。 But on our southern
coasts； the wall…sided cliffs； many hundred feet high； with vast
needles and pinnacles standing out in the sea； sharp and solitary
enough to serve as perches for the wary cormorant confer a
wonderful beauty and grandeur upon the chalk headlands。 And； in
the East； chalk has its share in the formation of some of the most
venerable of mountain ranges； such as the Lebanon。
What is this wide…spread component of the surface of the earth？ and
whence did it come？
You may think this no very hopeful inquiry。 You may not
unnaturally suppose that the attempt to solve such problems as
these can lead to no result； save that of entangling the inquirer
in vague speculations； incapable of refutation and of verification。
If such were really the case； I should have selected some other
subject than a 〃piece of chalk〃 for my discourse。 But； in truth；
after much deliberation； I have been unable to think of any topic
which would so well enable me to lead you to see how solid is the
foundation upon which some of the most startling conclusions of
physical science rest。
A great chapter of the history of the world is written in the
chalk。 Few passages in the history of man can be supported by such
an overwhelming mass of direct and indirect evidence as that which
testifies to the truth of the fragment of the history of the globe；
which I hope to enable you to read； with your own eyes； tonight。
Let me add； that few chapters of human history have a more profound
significance for ourselves。 I weigh my words well when I assert；
that the man who should know the true history of the bit of chalk
which every carpenter carries about in his breeches…pocket； though
ignorant of all other history； is likely； if he will think his
knowledge out to its ultimate results； to have a truer； and
therefore a better； conc