486 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



The address sketched a brief comparison between the scientific con- 

 ception of the physical universe to-day and that of one hundred years 

 ago. It was remarkable in this respect that a man so full of other 

 work, as Mr. Balfour must be, should be able to frame such a state- 

 ment without committing errors of fact of a serious sort. As an 

 analytic review it had no great value (notwithstanding the one or two 

 ingenious points brought forward) on account of the speaker's lack 

 of expert knowledge in physics and on account of the constant assump- 

 tion of a position entirely apart from and unlike that of the physical 

 investigator. The address could be called on the whole clever, inter- 

 esting and suggestive from the philosophical standpoint, and to have 



Jesus College, from the Meadows. 



presented such a paper is an evidence of great intellectual alertness 

 and ability on the part of a man whose hands are full of practical 

 business. 



The occasion of the presidential address on the evening of the first 

 day was the most interesting event of the meeting and the one which 

 brought together the most interesting audience. Mr. Balfour read 

 his address, explaining that in this he followed precedent, although 

 speaking was easier to him than reading. He spoke with a clear, pleas- 

 ant voice and in a perfectly natural and easy manner. His delivery 

 throughout was mosi effective. On the platform beside him sat many 

 of the best known men in British scientific circles, the veteran Lord 

 Kelvin occupying a place to the Left of the speaker, and looking like 

 an idealized version of CJncle Joe Cannon. 



