332 



In the novelty of niy position last year, I overlooked the exact 

 purport of this law; and I must now offer an apology for the appa- 

 rent neglect. My object in addressing you, on this occasion, is to 

 fulfil the duty for the present year. 



Two things are required by the regulation ; one, a discourse on 

 some literary or scientific subject; the other, suggestions on the 

 affairs of the Society. I shall follow the order here laid down. As 

 the length of the communication is left to the discretion of the 

 President, I shall study to make it brief; so that, if it have no other 

 merit, it may at least lay claim to that of wasting but little of your 

 time and attention. 



1. There is a point in philosophy which, I think, deserves more 

 consideration than it ordinarily receives : I allude to the evil of too 

 hasty generalization ; of leaping to general conclusions inconside- 

 rately from one or a few ex'periments or observations. This habit 

 has, in my opinion, more than any other one cause, since the general 

 acceptance of the inductive system of philosophy, contributed to the 

 disturbance of admitted truth, and to the introduction of crude and 

 unsound hypotheses, incapable of standing the test of time, yet pro- 

 ductive, while they lasted, of no little practical mischief. I will 

 cite a few examples. 



A fact in geology is observed which, at first sight, seems to be in 

 conflict with the Mosaic account of creation ; and the inference is 

 hastily drawn that we must surrender our faith in Scripture. Further 

 observation reconciles the seeming discrepancies ; but, in the mean- 

 time, much evil has been done by unnecessarily disturbing settled 

 modes of thought, and, to some extent, even the existing relations 

 of society. 



Under certain experimental arrangements, living organized beings 

 have been apparently produced out of inorganic matter, through the 

 influence of electricity ; and the conclusion is inconsiderately arrived 

 at, that the general opinion of science as to the necessary propagation 

 of vegetables and animals from pre-existing germs is unsound. Men 

 are thrown into confusion as to their own origin and responsibilities, 

 which interferes materially with their mental health, if it produce 

 no more serious consequences. Subsequent observation shows that 

 all this disturbance is baseless, by proving the experiment not to 

 have been conducted with due care. 



Under what have been called Mesmeric influences, which I believe 

 to be nothing more nor less than means of producing a certain degree 

 of irregular mental action, a curious morbid condition of the system 



