Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873 edition. Excerpt: ... FIRST LECTUEE. THE RELATIONS OF THE AIR TO THE CLOTHES WE WEAR. The Committee of the Albert Society has honoured me by an invitation to give a few popular Lectures at Dresden, on subjects of Public Hygiene. Let me state to you at once what I think of popular Lectures in general. What ought they to be, and what can we expect from them? I am not one of those who, in all their work and aim, look out directly for the practical use, for the return on the capital, immediate or prospective; but on the other hand I feel myself bound, in a certain degree, to inquire into the object of much that may appear to be either unprofitable or useless. There is no doubt that popular Lectures on scientific subjects will not impart really competent knowledge, and will not form experts. Therefore it will be maintained by many that such Lectures produce more evil than good, creating as they do, and augmenting, that dilettantism from which our period is already suffering. In our schools also this dilettantism is gaining such dimensions, that one might get thoroughly frightened at the immoderate expansion of young people's knowledge, were it not for its small depth, which lessens the danger, and for the fact B that the forgetting keeps apace with the learning. Accept my open avowal, that I also am unable to invalidate the objection, that popular Lectures on scientific subjects are not able to impart a really competent knowledge, and do not form experts. But I believe that this does not matter, and that they have no such purpose. They are neither an exhaustive, scientific, nor a practical instruction, but a scientific edification and elevation, which are to raise our minds and hearts, and to affect us like listening to good music--to a symphony, the purpose of...
