The life of Henry Drummond

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898 Excerpt: ...hypotheses which would keep their minds from hardening and narrowing. Once a week at College he used to give his class special lectures, beginning with the evolution of the world, and coming down to the evolution of life. These were intensely interesting, and had a certain apologetic purpose, and were more useful than the mere teaching of the rudiments of science.' Probably Drummond did even more good to his students in another way. The education of nearly all of them had been confined to languages, literature, and philosophy, with some mathematics. He drew their attention to the common facts of nature. About three weeks after the beginning of the session, he used to set what he called an 'ignorance examination.' The questions were such as: 'What are air, water, earth? What is the use of a leaf? What makes a leaf fall? What is the use of a flower? What do trees live on? What makes the sea salt? Why are mountainous districts rainy? What colour or colours are the stars? Define a volcano. What happens chemically, first in striking, second in burning, a wooden match? Name any two of Mr. Darwin's works, and their theses. Define Natural Selection.' No marks were given for the answers. Each paper was treated as if anonymous, but it was carefully reviewed before the whole class, and thus students received a healthy knowledge of their ignorance, both of the common facts of nature and of the dominant methods of science. 1This was not the case. The chair would never have been created but for Drummond's personality, and Mr. Stevenson's generous offer. 2 The secretaryship of the Shipping Commission. 3 See above, page 130. 1 Article in the Woman at Home for 1897, by H. B. Drummond remembered his ordination vows, and welcomed his work in the College for the time which it ...