Tribune Ultras Pamphlet Series. 



the witness of a scene ou that rainy Thursday which 

 will never be forgotten by those present. It was his- 

 torical of two things of the first rainy day at Frni- 

 kesc. counting its birth as an institution, and of the 

 first recorded meeting of the friends of Natural 

 Theology. How the former came about, " Old Prob- 

 abilities" has told us. How the latter, perhaps no 

 one can tell. The spirit of tho chronicle is as fol- 

 lows : About the middle of the forenoon, the hour 

 announced that a lecture would be delivered this 

 time by Prof. Wilder on the " Structure of Fishes," 

 the wind was blowing fiercely about tho buildings, 

 and the ram was beating steadily aerainst them, 

 keeping 1 up a constant clatter against the window- 

 panes. In strange contrast to this outside commo- 

 tion, was gathered a little audience of perhaps 50 

 persons of both sexes. Their ages ranged from 25 to 

 4o earnest, eager, all above tho average in native 

 intelligence. 



Prof. Acassiz informs the class that Prof. Peirce of 

 the Coast Survey, at present a guest of the School, 

 lias consented to address them prior to the lecture. 

 Tho gentleman thus called UDOII arose. He is of 

 medium hight, with a head recalling that of Long- 

 fellow, and a voice of rare quality and sweetness. 

 He said : " It affords mo the greatest pleasure to bo 

 with you on this occasion, gathered hero to-day, re- 

 mote from tho busy world, that we may upon onr 

 return hence to our respective duties be made 

 stronger by our temporary retirement. You are hero 

 in tho pursuit of a high office. You are hero to dis- 

 seminate the doctrine of the wisdom of tho pursuit 

 of truth. Wo need that this should bo done. Wo 

 have wealth enough, energy enough, nay, too much, 

 for the the thirst of gain and power is our consum- 

 ing evil. It is tho cause of the all-pervading cor- 

 ruption; it is tho great danger now threaten- 

 ing our country. It can be saved, in my opinion, 

 only by inculcating in tho people love of truth, 

 scientific truth particularly, since its cultivation 

 tend-; above all other forms to elevate the mind. It 

 Khniihl bo pursued not for any material reward it 

 may promise, but for its own sake. It is to the in- 

 ilueiifi; of Pr<,f. Agassiz that we are indebted for this 

 institution. No man has been of greater benefit to 

 this country. Ho was the first to free science in 

 America fn>m Knn-poan dictation; he has erected a 

 wide-spread interest in the cultivation of the natur- 

 al sciences ; and on this account has been every- 

 where mi nlij.'ct of the deepest respect. Ilis inllu- 

 eneo has not been confined to natural history, but 

 Las affected the physical sciences as well. Asa 

 physici-t I have recognized the difficulty of associ- 



ating the two. Yet that such an association exists 



theie i , 11,1 .; i;i,t. But the processes by which the 

 mathematician appn a<-ln -n Mio subject are far re- 

 moved I" in tlu'.-e. i mi ' -icd b.y the naturalist. Tho 



modern doctrine of evolution, for example, has a 

 different meaning when applied to inanimate things. 

 The nebular hypothesis, as you know, is base' 1 -*-\ 

 evolution, yet far removed from the premises of 

 that same doctrine, as it is alleged, is displayed in 

 animated nature. With the former it is at all times 

 the same matter which is displayed, the condition or 

 state of that matter alone varying. In the latter, in 

 addition to the matter itself being various, we are 

 continually confronted with tho knowledge that 

 there is something which evades our research. We 

 mark the human soul as something distinct from tho 

 human body. Now if wo can prove that there is 

 something in the vegetable which is not in the ani- 

 mal, something in tho animal which is not in tho 

 vegetable, or something in the nature of man him- 

 self which is not in the nature of the animals be- 

 neath him, no attempt to prove a transition between 

 their material semblances hero severally displayed 

 will avail, lam inclined to believe that something 

 of tho kind exists; that is to say, that there is a 

 proper vegetable presence which is immutable, and 

 can therefore never become animal ; there is a proper 

 animal presence which can never become vegetable, 

 and so on. In truth, what is is probably what has 

 always been. Plants were from the beginning plaijte, 

 animals animals, and men were men." 



Tho Professor sat down, and a silence ensucrt. 

 And now for a lecture on fish. Not yet. Prof. 

 Agassiz, who has been sitting listening with 

 all his ears, cannot keep still now that the 

 subject of evolution has been broached. As well 

 imagine St. George with arms at rest when the 

 dragon is seething before him. "Wo are very glad 

 to hear," said he, " such testimony as this from one 

 who commands his department. Wo learn from it 

 the errors of those who are so wedded to their own 

 fancies, who would twist all knowledge to make it 

 suit some pet theory." He believed the present as- 

 pect of the doctrine of evolution to bo in .great part 

 tho result of this bias in judgment. Ho insisted 

 upon honesty of purpose in investigating nature. 

 Among the many causes which have interfered with 

 progress has been the influence of tradition, and tho 

 fear of offending tho proprieties. Ho valued tra- 

 dition; it was the mainstay of tho weak in spirit 

 and the wavering in purpose. But to the strong ho 

 would say, cut loose from it. He had been accused 

 by his European friends of being influenced by tho 

 church, while by others in this country he has been 

 denounced, as an infidel. Do not mind tho opinions 

 of the prejudiced and bigoted. For himself he cared 

 nothing for these expressions, Bo careful of ono 

 thing only, " fail h fill ness to trutli as you believe it." 



lie had struck the sympathetic chord. Prof. 

 Peirce is on his feet, to show by example the value- 

 of discussion. " The urea test ireucral truths." .' 



