The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-17 00:00:00

Sir Charles concluded his paper with some remarks
on the origin of species.
SECTION E.—Geography and Ethnology.
President—Admiral Sir James Clark Ross,

D.C.L., F.R.S.
Professor OwEN read an interesting report on
" The Crania of the Tribesof Nepa-al," stating at the
outset that the information contained therein had
been mainly derived from the valuable researches
of Mr. Hodgson, Resident at Nepal, who had thus
added another to the high claims he already had
established upon the scientific world. The learned
professor entered minutely into the formation of the
crania, upwards of ninety in number—the features,
the skulls, &c., &c. In these ninety varieties of
crania, the amount of brain is not greater than those
usually found in the highest class of day labourers
in this country and Ireland ; indeed, the skulls do
not, on the whole, differ very much from what
might be found in the graveyards of London, Edin-
burgh, or Dublin.
Sir JOHN BOWRING, in the course of some remarks,
as a proof of the low mental standard existing amongst
some classes of the Indian tribes, stated that he re-
membered a murder occurring in Ceylon, and on the
murderer being brought to trial, it was found utterly
impossible to make him comprehend he committed
any sin whatever in revenging himself upon a
person who he thought had injured him. The
consequence was that the judge came to the con-
clusion that the murderer could not be held respon-
sible for his crime. So ignorant was this man that
he could not count up to the number five—losing
himself always at three. Incidentally, Sir John
remarked that the introduction of the decimal sys-
tem amongst some classes- of the Indians had been
esteemed by them one of the greatest benefits in
the way of instruction they had ever received.
Amongst the other gentlemen who took part in
the discussion which followed were Mr. Richard
Cull, F.S.A., Mr. Oliphant (late secretary to Lord
Elgin in China), Mr. John Cranford, F.R.G.S., and
Dr. M'Gowan, from China, &c.
The "Geographical Remarks upon the Yangtsee-
Kiang, with observations upon its future Com-
merce," read in the same section by Capt. SHERARD
OSBORN, was distinguished by a vast amount of
information regarding that little known part of
China, and much graphic description of the country
and the habits of the people.
His Royal Highness the Prince Consort, who
entered the room while the paper was being read,
seemed much interested in the gallant captain's
" remarks," and made a stay of upwards of half-an-
hour—following closely the illustrative map which
had been prepared by the officers of Capt. Osborn's
exploring fleet.
In the evening there was a conversazione held in
the Music Hall, at which there was a large party
present.

SIR 'TORN COLERIDGE 0111 MIDDLE
CLASS EDUCATION.

At the distribution of certificates to the success-
ful candidates at the 'late Oxford Local Examina-
tion, held at Exeter, there was an influential atten
dance of the friends of education, including Mr. T
D. Acland, the originator of the local examination
scheme.
The Right Hon. Sir J. COLERIDGE, after the dis-
tribution of the certificates, addressed the meeting.
He said—Sir John Kennaway has stated to you in
strong language which I cannot improve, and which
I will not seek to spoil, all that the country in ge-
neral owes to the University of Oxford ; and, in my
opinion, he might have added that it has acquired
an additional claim to the gratitude and affectionate
feeling. of the country by the step which it has
taken in regard to these examinations. (Hear.)
Passing by for a moment what of course I do not
undervalue—the higher motives upon which we
ought to value national education—there is one point
of view in which it strikes me it has not been so
often presented to the minds of assemblies like the
present, but which I think is of the greatest im-
portance. No one who has considered the history,
not merely of this country but of Christendom in
general, for centuries back, can fail to perceive
that there has been for centuries a gradual
advancement towards the approximation of the
different classes of society, and to increasing
power with regard to government of what are
called the lower orders. (Hear, hear.) lam not,
of course, going to express a political opinion here ;
I do not say whether it is better or whether it is
worse at present. But it seems to me to be so orderly,
to have proceeded so regularly, to have gone on so
widely—l may say so universally—through Chris-
tendom, that I cannot but think that we may trace
in it the finger of Him who governs the world; and
if that be so, I ought to say that it must be for
good. (Hear, hear.) It must be for good if we
rightly use and direct the dispensations of the
Almighty, as far as we are concerned, The desti-
nies of nations are in His hands, but, as you well
know, He acts ordinarily by secondary means ; He
acts by human agents, and it is in our power to
make that a blessing, as He intended it, or a curse,
which he did not intend, according as we use that
which He puts in our hands. The river will flow
on. If you attempt to stop it, it will overwhelm
you in ruin. If you neglect its course, you may
lose the benefits it would otherwise confer. But if
you direct its course wisely it will be a source of
fertility to the land through which it flows.
(Applause.) Something like that is what this
country ought to do, and what I think it is now
doing in respect of education. If the lower orders
are to be raised to political power in this
country, to make that a blessing you must
cultivate the lower orders for discharging the
duties to be thrown upon them. (Hear, hear.)
Therefore it is that I think the University of
Oxford conferred the largest benefit that it had
in its power to confer upon this country at large
when, passing simply from the education of the
higher orders, and those who were destined for the
Church, it spread out its hands in a frank and li-
beral spirit to all classes of society, and offered to
connect everybody with itself, in a certain measure,
who would only fit himself for it by proper applica-
tion. (Applause.) It is obvious, and everybody
must see, that the more the classes of society
lower than those who may be able to take the bene-
fit directly of university education avail themselves
of this privilege, the more will they fit themselves
for all those acts of power and administration of
government to which in the course of things they
may probably be called. (Hear.) I do not forget that
several gentlemen have to come after me, and that
I ought not to occupy very much more of your time.
(Hear, hear,-and applause.) But if I have satisfied
you that the delegates and the University are en-
titled to your thanks, not merely for the-wise con-
ception of their plan, but for the strictly impartial
and discriminating execution of it, let me ask you
how are we to show our gratitude to them ?, Not
merely by the thanks we are to pass to-day, but in
avery much more important and permanent manner.
We may divide those who are here present into the
public, whom the spectators represent ; the school-
masters, who have been directly affected by this
measure of the University ; and the most interest-
, ing class of all, the young gentlemen who have been
here to-day to receive the certificates from the Uni-
versity. With regard to ourselves, I hope our course
is a clear and a plain one. If any one of you have
seen the circulars, it will be found that the original
funds for carrying out the local examinations for the
distribution of prizes, and for the expenses of this
meeting, are now exhausted. I should be extremely
sorry, and I think the inhabitants of this great
county would be wanting; if they suffered this an-
nual celebration to fall to the ground. (Hear, hear.)
I hope that although upon the present occasion we
have not been able to present to the young men who
have come here any distinct prizes, yet that before
next year comes round we shall be in a position to
resume that excellent practice. (Hear, hear.) Do
not let it be said that in so doing we are presum-
ing, in the county of Devon, to think that we can
add any value to what the University has done for
these young men. Above all things let them re-
member that nothing can be given in this county
equal to the honour which they have now achieved
of being associated with the University of Ox-
ford. They will carry it with them wherever
they go. It may have struck you as an inte-
resting circumstance that some of those individuals
who have laboured and acquired honour, are now
gone out into the world—some to sea, some to one
place, some to another —some of them hardly know-
ing the honour which they have achieved. But I
will venture to say that when the young midship-
man or the young man in the merchant service, now
ploughing the main, returns to this country, he will
rejoice to receive the paper that will then be handed
to him ; and come what w;11 in future life, the
young pan will always think it an honour to have
passed such an examination as to bo able to call
himself an Associate in-Arts of the University of
Oxford. (Applause.) Do not let it be supposed that
we are interfering with the University in that way.
But as a mark of gratitude to Oxford—as a token
of the estimation in which we hold what Oxford has
done fur these young men—l think we should do
iblulciefe,suspfuolneauifiduitduarteesoczstr,syvomeedid nizoetcre7(ahrideatih..e)
I think I haNs'eo
onerous duty omitted to speak to you prizes.
the local
examiner.
to
oays he is co
of you may not know what an
ptemirlfeeorgmentleman who undertakes that
parits extsreem
Fornfi as many as seven or eight
soufficeeceshsiayse
ci abyroom superintend-
ing and taking
e t examinations.
hat it
would
have The
labour, I believe
in
gentleman to have done
been impossible for a single tthese
it, if he bad not been assisted kind volunteers.
My .
My friend Mr. Arland is always ready to lend his
help. lam sure that you will go along with me in
saying that these volunteer assistants ought to be in-
pass on to
eluded in the resolution. (Hear.) I now