In  what  way  scientific  education  might  best  be  carried  on  in  this  country  was
another  aspect  of  the  discussion.    It  seemed  to  him  that  it  would  not  be  efficiently
done  until  Goyemment  gaye  far  more  assistance  to  that  branch  of  education  than
they  were  doing  at  present    It  was  perfectly  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  the
scientific  education  of  artisans  in  that  town  should  be  carried  on  merely  at  the
cost  of  a  few  private  subscribers  to  the  Birmingham  and  Midland  Institute,  or  in
any  other  similar  educational  establishment.    They  would  neyer  get  on  a  proper
footing  in  this  respect  until  Goyernment  came  to  recognise  the  fact  that  what  they
were  now  doing  for  primary  education  in  this  country  they  ought  also  to  be  doing
for  higher  education.
Mr.  Newtox  said  they  were  told  that  technical  education  was  to  improye  the
workman  in  his  art.  Ii  they  looked  to  mediaeyal  times,  to  the  Venetian  glass,  the
ancient  ironwork,  and  enamelling,  they  would  find  that  the  workmen  then  were
far  superior  to  the  workmen  of  t£ie  present  day,  not  only  as  it  respected  England,
but  France,  and  all  Europe.  Now  it  was  scarcely  to  be  supposed  that  these  men
had  the  technical  education  which  was  deemed  necessary  at  the  present  time.
