LIVERPOOL LADIES' COLLEGE. BLACKBURNE HOUSE. PRESIDENT-JAMES MULLENEUX, Esq. Principal.. MISS ELLISON. THE College is designed to afford to young ladies, who have gone through the course of instruction ordinarily provided in girls' schools, the means of systematically pursuing their studies, under capable Professors, in those branches in which they may desire to improve themselves. Natural History and Physiology .Messrs. De Finance, Brugiere, & Dupont. .Rev. James England, M.A. .Rev. Professor Griffiths. .Signor Zandotti. .Rev. James England, M.A. .Rev. James England, M.A. Natural Philosophy and Chemistry . .G. Hamilton, Esq., F.C.S., F. R.A.S. FEES, PAYABLE IN ADVANCE, 12s. 6d. per quarter for each class meeting once, and 21s. for each class meeting twice, in the week. Individual Instruction in Instrumental Music, £2 2s. per quarter. Use of Piano-forte, 2s. 6d. per quarter extra. Each lady is at liberty to join such class or classes as she may think proper. ASTRUP CARISS, Secretary. THE THEORY OF HUMAN PROGRESS. BY REV. JAMES CRANBROOK, LADIES, Seeing it has fallen to my lot to inaugurate the First Session of your College, I purpose acting upon a suggestion that has been made to me, by requesting your attention to the discussion of a subject which, although directly belonging to the chair I have the honour to fill, is yet of a wider range than most of those which will hereafter occupy our attention, but which well may demand, upon the first occasion of meeting, a brief consideration from those associated with an institution so peculiarly a manifestation of the progressive spirit of the nineteenth century as a Ladies' College. For upon the inauguration of such an institution, every reflecting person will ask, What significance such a movement has? What permanent effect will it have upon society? What will be the place it will assume in the history of our race? And the answer given to every such question will, again, it is quite evident, depend on our theory of human progress. For if we have no faith in such progress, then all these institutions and movements, however excellent, beautiful, and noble they may be in themselves, can only possess an ephemeral interest—their influence can belong only to the generation, or age, or race which institutes them. But if we believe in such progress, then their influence may extend far beyond the race and age in the midst of which they spring up-they become essential links in the great chain of causes through which human destiny is accomplished. In order, then, that we may be the better prepared to estimate the value of the movement this day coming into operation amongst us, I propose to offer you some hints upon this subject of Human Progress. It must be understood, however, I presume to offer no more than hints, for the materials upon which we have to draw are, as yet, in too crude a state to allow of our coming to any absolute conclusion. For a theory of Human Progress must be based upon a scientific interpretation of history; and towards such an interpretation we, in England, have as yet taken but few steps. Until a very recent period, the histories of the various nations and successive generations of the world were to us nothing better than dry, barren, viewless chronologies of the principal events affecting the rise and fall of governments, the march and battles of armies, the squabbles and intrigues of sects and parties, or at best, when these histories fell into the hands of genius, a luminous panorama of the superficial national life. Of late years, however, we have begun to understand that a knowledge of the past is only beneficial as it lays before us the principles of human action, as it enables us better to comprehend the nature of our race, and as, by a process of accurate and wide induction, we are enabled to grasp those profound master-ideas which are the impulses of the life, and determine the destinies of mankind. Hence, history, from being a mere form of literature, half serious and half romantic, based upon some facts, but adorned with more fictions, is passing into a science, having its laws of criticism and organon of investigation, its schools, its sects, and its various philosophies. Every one, I presume, will comprehend the difference between the various methods of viewing history I have now pointed out. It is all the difference between an intelligent |