II OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SCIENCES 65 



changes, which can only be -judged by their own 

 laws. 



And now to sum up in a few words the con- 

 clusions to which I hope you see reason to fol- 

 low me. 



Biology needs no apologist when she demands 

 a place — and a prominent place — in any scheme 

 of education worthy of the name. Leave out the 

 Physiological sciences from your curriculum, and 

 you launch the student into the world, undisci- 

 plined in that science whose subject-matter would 

 best develop his powers of observation; ignorant 

 of facts of the deepest importance for his own and 

 others' welfare; blind to the richest sources of 

 beauty in God's creation; and unprovided with 

 that belief in a living law, and an order manifest- 

 ing itself in and through endless change and 

 variety, which might serve to check and moderate 

 that phase of despair through which, if he take 

 an earnest interest in social problems, he will 

 assuredly sooner or later pass. 



Finally, one word for myself. I have not hesi- 

 tated to speak strongly where I have felt strongly; 

 and I am but too conscious that the indicative and 

 imperative moods have too often taken the place of 

 the more becoming subjunctive and conditional. I 

 feel, therefore, how necessary it is to beg you to 

 forget the personality of him who has thus ven- 

 tured to address you, and to consider only the truth 

 or error in what has been said. 



