THE FUTURE OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION 329 



their sphere but having no contact with the greater things of 

 the mind. 



Of course we have among us scholars who are worthy of 

 any honour Science can pay them but who have so bent every 

 faculty to their special task that they have deliberately fore- 

 gone any wider outlook on the world : let us honour such men 

 indeed in our learned societies but not make them Presidents 

 of the British Association. The Council cannot secure from 

 any man an address that will be generally impressive but it can 

 let it be understood that it expects its President to speak not to 

 his immediate colleagues but to all men of science and to thinkers 

 at large ; it can also keep this desideratum in view when making- 

 its choice. 



The other possible reformi deals with the sectional meetings. 

 It is well known that there are many cross-currents of opinion 

 as to whether the sections are being run on proper lines. We 

 know the general style : there is the regular frequenter of the 

 Association who feels it his duty to contribute and either dishes 

 up a survey of a series of old papers or gives a preliminary 

 account of some new work, informally and without the respon- 

 sibility of cold print to follow ; this latter plan often leads to 

 stimulating private discussions. There is the local man of 

 science who welcomes the chance of a wider audience and the 

 young worker who is getting himself known ; also bores of 

 various calibre and staying power. Sometimes there are too 

 few papers and a general languor, more often they are too many 

 and too long, until all discussion has to be stifled ; anyhow the 

 result is apt to be purely technical and the general public haunt 

 Anthropology or Geography or Education ; the other sec- 

 tions only when lantern slides are promised. Now it cannot 

 be argued that any useful purpose is served by making B a 

 second-hand edition of the Chemical Society : what can be done 

 instead ? 



It is knov/n that one party in the Association would like to 

 see the sections very much reduced in numbers ; it points to 

 the success of joint meetings arranged to discuss a subject 

 of common interest and it would like to impose some wide and 

 permanent connexions of the same kind, as salutary to all 

 concerned and appropriate to the British Association. The 

 other party believes in keeping bright the sacred flame by 

 walling it in; it declares that only the specialists can get up 



