The Express.
London, England, 1868-04-21 00:00:00

OUR PARIS LETTER.

(NEON OUR OWN CORRINPONDENT.)
PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.
_ _ _

Most of the journals contain comments on M.
Duruy's speech at the Sorbonne on the occasion of
the distribution of prizes to members of learned
societies in France. The clerical prints, as a matter
of course, speak of the Minister of Public Instruc-
tion as ignorant, presumptuous, and irreligious, and
exhaust their ingenuity in sarcastic phrases against
him. The organs of the liberal opposition speak
generally with a certain amount of sympathy. They
incline to think that the minister means well, and
may do a considerable amount of good ; but they
notice a great deal of fatuity in his boasts and pro-
misee, and point out palpable defects in his logic
which show too clearly how much he is fettered
by the influence of the ultramontanista at Court.
His theory of two concentric circles, the lesser one
scientific, and the larger one, "whose diameter is
lost in eternity" religious, is particularly pointed
out as a conceit which will not bear examination.
The church and the freethinkers are not to be recon-
ciled by any such fanciful division as this. There is
no concentric circle so limited that the Bishop of
Orleans would not claim to take a dominant place
in it. Besides M. Duruy says that his two circles,
though distinct, ought to approximate one to the
other, and how this can be if the diameter of the
bigger one be lost in eternity is indeed a puzzle.
The 'Jeremy Bentham who could do full justice
upon M. Duruy's unmeaning verbiage is not now
to be found in France.
The Arenir National says :

We fully agree with M. Duruy when he says that scien-
tific truth can be predicated of nothing not justified by
experiment and calculation. But then what becomes of
his implied theory that the state is to hold u equally
true certain theological dogmas arrived at by
another method ? Does M. Duruy suppose that the
dogma of the Immaculate Conception was the result of
experience or calculation? What the minister really meant
was this :—There are on veered a certain number of reli-
gious ideas which depend on tradition ; and in regard to
these Mess no experimental or reasonable teats are
necessary. As to new philosophical ideas which may
tend to throw discredit upon the traditions of the
middle ages we will not tolerate them unless
they can be justified by scientific certainty, ►nd the state
ie to be the judge of the value of the experimental evi-
dence. This, stripped of M. Dam's eloquence, ambiguity,
and imagery, is what his argument comes to. We wish
he had stated his caae more simply, and thus spared us
the trouble of pinking out what he really means from •
labyrinth of concentric circles. We believe, however, we
have eliminated his theory, and the public will judge what
it is worth.

The Gazette de France thinks it extremely quaint
that M. Duruy should pay himself and Napoleon
111. compliments at the expense of Lord Bacon
and James I. It is to be inferred from his speech
that he realised, or expects shortly to realise all
that Lord Bacon ever dreamt of in the way of "ad-
vancement of learning." Does M. Duruy suppose
that science, that " second revelation " of which he
speaks, was never invented till he was made a
minister ? Science has made progress, no doubt,
but it began to develop itself at least 6,000 years
ago ; and some of the most ancient discoveries are
not the least useful.
The Courrier Francais says :

Amidst his unfortunate rodeolions on the allianoe of reli-
gion and soignee, M. Ducey said some excellent thinp
touching the means of advancing science in France. This
minister may justlypride himself on having obtained funds
to ameliorate the position of teachers, found laboratories,
and increase the number of professional chairs.
The Temps is extremely satirical :

The minister, whose speech may be considered to some
extent u a reply to the Bishop of Orleans, had no difiloult
task to fulfil in speaking with more moderation and
decency than the prelate. It clearly results from this die-
coarse that the armlet of the episcopacy have not
yet shaken the position of M. Dam. We are
told that his emphatic assertion that the new
coons of lectures for young girls would " last" was loudly
applauded. It cannot fail to be remarked th►t M. Durny
undertakes to my that the imperial government is dis-
posed to protect philosophic liberty even in its aberrations,
so long as common law and the particular regulations of
the colleges are obeyed. The professors of the Faculty of
Medicine meet feel a certain degree of satisfaction at this
•naranos ; but perhaps they may wonder • little what
particular regulation was Infringed by Dr. Grenier when
M. Delray quashed his degree because obtained on the
strength of a thesis which contained doctrines denounced
by the Bishopof Orleans as materialist. The greater portion
of the minister's speech was de►oted to rhetorical and some-
what pompous announcements of reforms which seem to be
well oonesived, but whish perhaps may break down when
the budget comes to be debated. It is to be feared that in
• struggle between Marshal Niel and M. Dimly the latter
will come out second best. However, we have the con-
solation of remembering that NMI years ago the Corps
Legidatif, in an address which it has now lost the right to
present, told the Emperor that the resources of France
were " inexhaustible."

-- -
SCIENTIFIC INSTRUCTION FOR THE
ARTISAN CLASSES.

This morning was published the copy of ck
minute, agreed upon in December lest, b 7 the Lords of
the Committee of Council on Education, rel►ting t„
scientific instruction, and an explanatory memorandum ia
attached.

The determination of the committee, as exeressed in
this minute, is to nein those of the artisan classes who
may show any aptitude for scientific instruction, by
log local efforts to found scholarships and exhlitious
the former being intended to maintain the students while.
remaining at the elementary schools, and the latter to
support them while pursuing their studies at
some central institution where the instruction is of
higher grade. The elementary school scholarships, of
which there will be one for every hundred on the
regiskr
of the school, will consist of grants of 6/. each towards the
maintenance of poor deserving students between 12 sol
16 years of age, which will be given to the managers au,
elementaryschoolwho undertake to support them for neyes;
and who subscribe also at least 6/. for that purpose. Thcs,
scholarships will not be tenable for more than three years,
and during that period the grant will only be mode on
condition that the student each year pass in a new subject
orbs a higher grade of the lAMB subject in which ne tint
passed. The "science and art scholarships" will cuter
of grnts of 10/. towards the maintenance of students s•
an elementary school who have taken a first grade in fr..,
hand, or model drawing and elementary geometry ss.l,
passed in one enbject of science. The same enclitica.
are imposed in this as in the case of the elementary a 55...„,:
scholarship ; but the advanced student must, in addati.t,
obtain at least • thhd class in the subject of ec:crice
which he has already passed, or pass in some oth•
subject. No student, however, will be allowed to LOA
the two scholarships together. Then there are to I.!
schoolfor
formed
dor for edu
tzt p,„ec:„
pose, who will rain a similar sum by voluntary comae),
ins
local exhibitions, which will consist of grants of :tt
Per
ti annumtutin, or any
to the
rnalocl paagecorsm d
miatnteye
tions for the maintenance of • student at some college o 7
school where scientific instruction of an advanced char.-.
u
ter mayboobtained. These exhfoitions are also to be ;,,•;;;,
for one, two, or three years ; and, as in the other hal,
the exhibitioner must be of the artisan class, or a NI!,
student, as defined by the science directory ; 3.11.1 .f L.
attend • government school, such as the Royal School c,
Mines in London, the Royal College of Cheamstry,,
London, or the Royal College of Science in Ward, t•
fees will be remitted. Both the scholarships ani t,.
exhibition are to be competed for.