had merely the lamentations of landowners, fears of the people, and exorcisms of the priests been continued? Instead of being the work of the arch-enemy of mankind, was not it rather an incitement to a somewhat high and difficult step in an upward direction towards the attainment, on a higher platform of knowledge and skill, of a blessing for the whole province of Tuscany? What was true in the history of that industry and its development is every whit as true of the much-lamented slackening of trade through foreign competition or other causes now in this country, and coming home to yourselves in the hat-manufacturing industry. The higher platform to which it was somewhat difficult to step up, but upon which the battle must be fought and the victory won, was one of a higher scientific and technological education and training. The chemist Hoeffer made the discovery of boric acid in the vapours, they would no doubt take note; but Hoeffer went no further; and it needed the man of both educated and practical mind like Count Lardarel to turn the discovery to account and extract the blessing. In like manner it was clear that in our educational schemes for the benefit of the people, there must not only be the scientific investigator of abstract truth, but also the scientific technologist to point the way to the practical realisation of tangible profit. Moreover, and a still more important truth, it is the scientific education of the proprietors and heads we want--educated capital rather than educated workmen.