100 Mr W he well's Address to the British Association 



our mineralogical nomenclature. The changes of theory in 

 chemistry to which I have already referred, must necessarily 

 superinduce a change of its nomenclature, in the same manner 

 in which the existing nomenclature was introduced by the pre- 

 valent theory ; and the new views have in fact been connect- 

 ed with such a change by those who have propounded them. It 

 will be for the Chemical Section of the Association to consider 

 how far these questions of Nomenclature and Notation can be 

 discussed with advantage at the present meeting. 



Physiology. — The Reports presented at the last meeting had 

 a reference, for the most part, to physical rather than physiolo- 

 gical science. The latter department of human knowledge will 

 be more prominently the subject of some of th€ Reports which 

 are to come before us on the present occasion. There is, how- 

 ever, one of last yearns Reports which refers to one of the widest 

 questions of Physiology ; that of Dr Prichard on the History of 

 the Human Species, and its subdivision into races. The other 

 lines of research which tend in the same direction will probably be 

 brought before the Association in successive years, and thus give 

 us a view of the extent of knowledge which is accessible to us 

 on this subject. 



The value of Theory in Science estimated. — In addition to 

 these particular notices of the aspect under which various 

 sciences present themselves to us as resulting from the Re- 

 ports of last year, there is a reflection which may I think be 

 collected from the general consideration of these sciences, and 

 which is important to us, since it bears upon the manner in 

 which science is to be promoted by combined labour, such as 

 that which it is a main object of this Association to stimulate 

 and organize. The reflection to which I refer is this ; — that 

 a combination of theory with facts, of general views with ex- 

 perimental industry, is requisite, even in subordinate contri- 

 butors to science. It has of late been common to assert that 

 facts alone are valuable in science ; that theory, so far as it is 

 valuable, is contained in the facts ; and, in so far as not con- 

 tained in the facts, can merely mislead and preoccupy men. 

 But this antithesis between theory and facts has probably in its 

 turn contributed to delude and perplex : to make men's observa- 

 tions and speculations useless and fruitless. For it is only 

 through some view or other of the conneocion and relation of 



