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crocodiles loses its force among other animals； or among plants。
If one series of species has come into existence by the operation
of natural causes； it seems folly to deny that all may have arisen
in the same way。
A small beginning has led us to a great ending。 If I were to put
the bit of chalk with which we started into the hot but obscure
flame of burning hydrogen； it would presently shine like the sun。
It seems to me that this physical metamorphosis is no false image
of what has been the result of our subjecting it to a jet of
fervent； though nowise brilliant； thought to…night。 It has become
luminous； and its clear rays； penetrating the abyss of the remote
past； have brought within our ken some stages of the evolution of
the earth。 And in the shifting 〃without haste； but without rest〃＇75＇
of the land and sea； as in the endless variation of the forms
assumed by living beings； we have observed nothing but the natural
product of the forces originally possessed by the substance of the
universe。
THE PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS OF EDUCATION ＇76＇
I know quite well that launching myself into this discussion ＇77＇ is
a very dangerous operation； that it is a very large subject； and one
which is difficult to deal with； however much I may trespass upon
your patience in the time allotted to me。 But the discussion is so
fundamental； it is so completely impossible to make up one's mind
on these matters until one has settled the question； that I will
even venture to make the experiment。 A great lawyer…statesman and
philosopher of a former ageI mean Francis Bacon ＇78＇said that truth
came out of error much more rapidly than it came out of confusion。
There is a wonderful truth in that saying。 Next to being right in
this world； the best of all things is to be clearly and definitely
wrong； because you will come out somewhere。 If you go buzzing
about between right and wrong； vibrating and fluctuating； you come
out nowhere； but if you are absolutely and thoroughly and
persistently wrong； you must； some of these days； have the extreme
good fortune of knocking your head against a fact； and that sets
you all straight again。 So I will not trouble myself as to whether
I may be right or wrong in what I am about to say； but at any rate
I hope to be clear and definite； and then you will be able to judge
for yourselves whether； in following out the train of thought I
have to introduce； you knock your heads against facts or not。
I take it that the whole object of education is； in the first
place； to train the faculties of the young in such a manner as to
give their possessors the best chance of being happy ＇79＇ and useful
in their generation； and； in the second place； to furnish them with
the most important portions of that immense capitalised experience
of the human race which we call knowledge of various kinds。 I am
using the term knowledge in its widest possible sense； and the
question is； what subjects to select by training and discipline； in
which the object I have just defined may be best attained。
I must call your attention further to this fact； that all the
subjects of our thoughtsall feelings and propositions （leaving
aside our sensations as the mere materials and occasions of
thinking and feeling）； all our mental furnituremay be classified
under one of two headsas either within the province of the
intellect； something that can be put into propositions and affirmed
or denied； or as within the province of feeling； or that which；
before the name was defiled； was called the aesthetic side of our
nature； and which can neither be proved nor disproved； but only
felt and known。
According to the classification which I have put before you； then；
the subjects of all knowledge are divisible into the two groups；
matters of science and matters of art； for all things with which
the reasoning faculty alone is occupied； come under the province of
science； and in the broadest sense； and not in the narrow and
technical sense in which we are now accustomed to use the word art；
all things feelable； all things which stir our emotions； come under
the term of art； in the sense of the subject…matter of the
aesthetic faculty。 So that we are shut up to thisthat the
business of education is； in the first place； to provide the young
with the means and the habit of observation； and； secondly； to
supply the subject…matter of knowledge either in the shape of
science or of art； or of both combined。
Now； it is a very remarkable factbut it is true of most things in
this worldthat there is hardly anything one…sided； or of one
nature； and it is not immediately obvious what of the things that
interest us may be regarded as pure science； and what may be
regarded as pure art。 It may be that there are some peculiarly
constituted persons who； before they have advanced far into the
depths of geometry； find artistic beauty about it； but； taking the
generality of mankind； I think it may be said that； when they begin
to learn mathematics； their whole souls are absorbed in tracing the
connection between the premisses and the conclusion； and that to
them geometry is pure science。 So I think it may be said that
mechanics and osteology are pure science。 On the other hand；
melody in music is pure art。 You cannot reason about it； there is
no proposition involved in it。 So； again； in the pictorial art； an
arabesque； or a 〃harmony in grey；〃＇80＇ touches none but the aesthetic
faculty。 But a great mathematician； and even many persons who are
not great mathematicians； will tell you that they derive immense
pleasure from geometrical reasonings。 Everybody knows
mathematicians speak of solutions and problems as 〃elegant；〃 and
they tell you that a certain mass of mystic symbols is 〃beautiful；
quite lovely。〃 Well； you do not see it。 They do see it； because
the intellectual process； the process of comprehending the reasons
symbolised by these figures and these signs； confers upon them a
sort of pleasure； such as an artist has in visual symmetry。 Take a
science of which I may speak with more confidence； and which is the
most attractive of those I am concerned with。 It is what we call
morphology； which consists in tracing out the unity in variety of
the infinitely diversified structures of animals and plants。 I
cannot give you any example of a thorough aesthetic pleasure more
intensely real than a pleasure of this kindthe pleasure which
arises in one's mind when a whole mass of different structures run
into one harmony as the expression of a central law。 That is where
the province of art overlays and embraces the province of
intellect。 And； if I may venture to express an opinion on such a
subject； the great majority of forms of art are not in the sense
what I just now defined them to bepure art； but they derive much
of their quality from simultaneous and even unconscious excitement
of the intellect。
When I was a boy； I was very fond of music； and I am so now； and it
so happened that I had the opportunity of hearing much good music。
Among other things； I had abundant opportunities of hearing that
great old master； Sebastian Bach。 I remember perfectly well
though I knew nothing about music then； and； I may add； know
nothing whatever about it nowthe intense satisfaction and delight
which I had in listening； by the hour together； to Bach's fugues。
It is a pleasure which remains with me； I am glad to think； but； of
late years； I have tried to find out the why and wherefore； and it
has often occurred to me that the pleasure derived from musical
compositions of this kind is essentially of the same nature as that
which is derived from pursuits which are commonly regarded as
purely intellectual。 I mean； that the source of pleasure is
exactly the same as in most of my problems in morphologythat you
have the theme in one of the old master's works followed out in all
its endless variations； always appearing and always reminding you
of unity in variety。 So in painting； what is called 〃truth to
nature〃 is the intellectual element coming in； and truth to nature
depends entirely upon the intellectual culture of the person to
whom art is addressed。 If you are in Australia； you may get credit
for being a good artistI mean among the nativesif you can draw
a kangaroo after a fashion。 But； among men of higher civilisation；
the intellectual knowledge we possess brings its criticism into our
appreciation of works of art； and we are obliged to satisfy it； as
well as the mere sense of beauty in colour and in outline。 And so；
the higher the culture and information of those whom art addresses；
the more exact and precise must be what we call its 〃truth to
nature。〃
If we turn to literature； the same thing is true； and you find
works of literature which may be said to be pure art。 A little
song of Shakespeare or of Goethe is pure art； it is exquisitely
beautifu