188 the president's address. 



humanity? But for all this it is not possible to touch one of the 

 sciences alone — they are links of a chain ; touch one, you disturb 

 or implicate more — perhaps all — though that which you touch 

 may appear at the outset to be no nearer than the ends of a chain so 

 far removed that they cannot be seen. Your pursuit may thus be 

 attended with unexpected results — the very flowers of science, and 

 its fruits too. The general tendency of the judicious division of 

 scientific labour in these days is the creation of a body of persons 

 whom we agree to call experts, and who are those amongst us that 

 are supposed to have devoted themselves so much to a single branch 

 of science or of art as to be distinguished by a knowledge of it, pre- 

 sumably superior to that of other men. Yet, even with such men, 

 the word knowledge is but a relative term. Here I may, perhaps, 

 be permitted to quote a most eloquent passage from the " Disserta- 

 tions " of Sir W. Hamilton. 



" The highest reach of human science is the scientific recognition of 

 human ignorance — 



' Qui nescit ignorare — nescit scire. ' * 



There are two sorts of ignorance. We philosophize to escape ignorance, 

 and the consummation of our philosophy is ignorance ; we start from the 

 one, we repose in the other ; they are the goals from which and to which we 

 tend, and the pursuit of knowledge is but a course between two ignorances, 

 as human life is itself only a travelling from grave to grave. This 'learned 

 ignorance ' is the rational conviction by the human mind of its inability to 

 transcend certain limits ; it is the knowledge of ourselves — the science of 

 man .... In fact, the recognition of human ignorance is not only 

 the one highest, but the one true knowledge ; and its first fruit, as has been 

 said is humility. Simple nescience is not proud ; consummated science is 



positively humble But as our knowledge stands to ignorance, 



so stands it also to doubt. Doubt is the beginning and the end of our efforts 

 to know ; for as it is true — ' Alte dubitat, qui altius credit;' + so it is like- 

 wise true. ' Quo mayis qucrrimus eo mayis dubitamus. ' " % 



But, gentlemen, as regards ourselves, we have been " wise in our 

 generation," for we have long since selected our special branch of 

 enquiry or research, and have amply vindicated our title to be deemed 

 special workers. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the question 

 of specialism may wear other aspects, as well as present some dis- 

 advantages — notably in my own profession — much to be deprecated. 

 On the 13th of this month, Mr. Gladstone, in his address to the 

 students of the London Hospital, on the occasion of the delivery of 



* The man who feels not conscious of his own comparative ignorance has 

 not yet learnt how to possess knowledge aright. 



j- The man who doubts much, is he who believes more. 



X The further we carry our inquiries, the more room shall we find for 

 doubt and hesitation. 



