pleasure and the honour of being personally acquainted, in terms which their own feelings would lead them to disallow,—if even I should appear indecorously "to assume the right of arbitrator where praise only can be bestowed," it must be remembered, as my apology, that one of my objects has been, to endeavour to convey a due appreciation of the importance of scientific pursuits, to those who may as yet be unacquainted with their nature, and that, to assert my own opinion of the merits of the various researches which I have mentioned, was inseparable from that design.

It is requisite to add a few words upon the degree of responsibility which attaches, respectively, to the parties who have concurred in this publication. For the views and statements contained in the following pages, while they are made with the perfect sanction of Messrs. Hill, I alone am responsible. With respect to the Department of Instruction in the Physical Sciences, as forming a portion of the business of the Schools, so far as it has actually been or may yet be conducted by myself, the responsibility, for the accuracy of the views of science imparted to the pupils, and the choice of proper apparatus and illustrations, is also mine while, for the provision of apparatus and materials, of every description, as well as for the routine in which the instruction must be given, and for the amount of time allotted to the various duties of the department, Messrs. Hill are alone responsible. I have undertaken, merely, to give instruction, and generally to superintend the arrangement and use of the means of tuition placed at my disposal, in the capacity of Teacher of the Physical Sciences.

Lectures on Animal and Vegetable Physiology, and on the History of Organic Nature, in general, will in future be delivered, at certain intervals, to the pupils at Bruce Castle, by DR. SOUTHWOOD SMITH, Lecturer on Physiology at the University of London; and Lectures on Chemistry, and on the History of Inorganic Nature, by myself.

Bruce Castle, Tottenham,

March 15th, 1831.

EDWARD WILLIAM BRAYLEY.

CONTENTS.

§ 1. INTRODUction.

Civilization defined.-The definition illustrated by a sketch of

the rise and progress of the Arts of Navigation and Naval

Architecture. Application and utility of the Steam-Engine

in Navigation.-Sir H. Davy on the practical results of the

progress of the Physical Sciences.-Note on the nature of

Animal Electricity.-Present aspect of Society with respect

to the application and cultivation of Natural Knowledge.-

Chemistry.-Geology.-Controversy in Geology, arising from

the publication of Mr. Lyell's work.-Establishment of the

Zoological Society.-Discoveries in the natural arrangement

of Animals of Mr. W. S. Macleay.-Reasons which de-

termined the Conductors of Hazelwood and Bruce Castle to

introduce instruction in the Physical Sciences into those

Schools.-Objects of the present Memoir.

Coal in the British Islands.-Fruitless and expensive attempts to discover coal, precluded by geological information.-Note respecting a practical rule on this subject.-Inadvertent use of spurious Oak in ships, arising from the want of knowledge of Botany.-Ravages of Timber-eating Insects in the Forests of Germany and in the Parks of London.-Means of preserving Timber-trees from insects pointed out by Natural History. Ultimate utility of the abstract Philosophical history of nature in the affairs of life.

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§ 4. IMPORTANCE OF COMBINING WITH MATHEMATICAL ACQUIREMENTS A KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRINCIPLES AND SUBSTANCES OF THE MATERIAL WORLD.

Inadequacy of the attention hitherto given to this subject, in School-Education.-Its probable cause.-Facility of making considerable attainments in pure mathematics without any enlarged acquaintance with the phænomena and history of nature.-Injurious consequences of this. Recently alleged inferiority of Great Britain in the higher walks of science examined. Mathematical knowledge of the Ancient Egyptians, and their success in the cultivation of certain arts; -the Physical sciences apparently unknown to them . . p. 51

§ 5. GENERAL UTILITY OF COMBINING THE KNOWLEDGE OF NaTURE WITH THE PURSUITS OF CLASSICAL LITERATURE, AND THE ADVANTAGES SPECIFICALLY DERIVABLE FROM THAT KNOWLedge, in the more Profound Class of Investigations of THE HISTORY, THE LANGUAGES, AND THE ARTS OF CIVILIZED ANTIQUITY.

The scholastic study of certain Greek and Latin authors an indispensable means of acquiring those languages.—Allusions to the phænomena of nature by those authors.-Importance of explaining such allusions to the student.-The writings of the philosophers and historians of Greece and Rome contain evidence of a more perfect and accurate observation of nature than was formerly supposed.-Examples.-An error in Burgh's Lunar Tables discovered from a statement of Diodorus Siculus, by a modern astronomer.-Precise and complete scientific knowledge required for the elucidation of ancient authors.-Exemplified in the history of the inquiries respecting the epoch of the solar eclipse predicted by Thales and recorded by Herodotus-that epoch fixed by astronomical computation, by Mr. F. Baily.-Advantages of uniting classical with scientific attainments in profound literary inquiries. Splendid and interesting discoveries in Archeology recently achieved.-Rapid and complete success of the late Dr. Young in deciphering the Egyptian Hieroglyphics.The process employed by him analogous to a profound and

extensive inquiry in Physical Science.-Dr. Young's success mainly attributable to his uniting classical with scientific knowledge.-Tardiness and comparative indecision, in some of its earlier stages, of the deciphering of the cuneiform inscriptions of Persepolis.-The decipherers of the Persepolitan characters possessed of learning, but not of science. p. 60 Utility of academical education in preparing the mind for the study of the physical sciences.-Mr. Conybeare's remarks on the subject.-Causes of that utility.-Advancement of Geology by the students of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Researches of Professors Buckland, Daubeny, and Sedgwick.--Inference respecting the successive changes of surface undergone by the globe, deducible from the researches of Prof. Sedgwick, and of Messrs. Murchison and Lyell.

p. 78

§ 6. SYSTEM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES PURSUED AT HAZELWOOD AND BRUCE CASTLE.

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Course of Instruction in the Physical Sciences.-Methods of Instruction.-Lectures.-Arrangements for their delivery.Lectures on Geology, Meteorites, and Zoology.. Lectures on Chemistry.-Syllabus of a Course of Lectures delivered at the Schools, on the Supporters of Combustion and the Simple Combustible Substances.-Oxygen.-Note on the propriety of abstaining from experiments on living animals in the instruction of youth.-Composition of atmospheric air.-Azote.-Difference between mixture and combination. -Note on the arrangement of this Course.-Chlorine.-Note on attention to atomic theory in teaching Chemistry.-Iodine. -Bromine.--Carbonic acid gas.--Chemical History of Respiration. Simple Non-metallic Combustibles.-Hydrogen. --Sulphur.-Phosphorus.-Carbon. .

p. 84 Syllabus of a Course of Lectures on Vegetable and Animal Chemistry.-Sugar.--Process of refining that substance.— Different varieties of Sugar.-Note on the various modes of existence of Chemical compounds in the various groups of Animals and Plants.-Chemical composition of Sugar.Chemical history of Starch.-Note on the production of the columnar structure by the Contraction consequent on Desiccation.-Chemical history of Germination.-Chemical history of Malting.-Properties of Alcohol or Pure Spirits of Wine.-Chemical history of Vinegar.-Production of Vinegar from Wood, and the Chemical composition of those substances compared. - Note on atomic constitution of Lignin.-Lectures on Animal Chemistry.-Chemical history of Ammonia.-Composition of Animal Substances.-Note on that subject.-Physiological and Chemical history of the Blood.-Albumen.-Respiration.

p. 96