DEGENERA TION. 



those who hold the notion, does not countenance 

 hypotheses, and sternly occupies itself with the exact 

 record of fact. On the other hand, there are many 

 persons who run to an opposite extreme, and call by 

 the name of science any fanciful attempt to deal with 

 or account for a certain class of phenomena. The 

 words ** science " and '^ scientific " are used so vaguely 

 and variously that one might almost come to the 

 conclusion that it would be well for our Association 

 to plainly state what Is that thing for the advance- 

 ment of which its meetings are held. I cannot 

 venture to speak in the name of my colleagues ; and 

 no doubt a review of the work done by the Associa- 

 tion would most fitly explain what that body under- 

 stands by the word '' science." At the same time It Is 

 permissible to take this opportunity of briefly stating 

 what science is and what it Is not, so far as I am able 

 to judge of the fitting use of the word. 



Science Is certainly not any and every kind of 

 knowledge. Knowledge of literature, of the beautiful 

 things which have been written or otherwise produced 

 by human Ingenuity, is not science. Knowledge of 

 the various manufacturing processes in use by civilised 



men Is not science ; nor knowledge of the names of 



