41 



great public buildings, we can at least alone in great measure 

 for the lack of these things by giving you a hearty old Vir- 

 ginia welcome. 



Mr. Vaux: After the eloquent discourse which we 

 have heard upon the precedino- toast, it does seem 

 that there should be now brought to your attention a 

 rather different philosophical and scientific view of the 

 reasons why Science and Philosophy have been thus 

 apostrophized, explained and defended. As you all will 

 admit, the task, which I propose now to present, in its 

 accomplishment is one of difficulty and requires to be 

 handled by a master-mind. The Committee, in view- 

 ing the subject in this light, has to ask your atten- 

 tion to the distinguished scholar who has been se- 

 lected to reply to the toast now propounded to you : 

 *' Mental analysis is the efficient solvent of many dif- 

 ficulties IN Science and Philosophy." If there is one 

 man in America who is competent, even in the few 

 minutes which are allowed on this occasion, to perform 

 this task with brilliant effect, it is the author of " Ulti- 

 mate Philosophy." I call upon Rev. Charles W. Shields, 

 D.D., LL.D., of Princeton College, to reply. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the American Philo- 

 sofhical Society : 

 When I accepted the invitation to this banquet I knew that 

 it involved a rare privilege and a high honor, but I accepted 

 it with some misgivings, I felt and still feel quite unable to 

 respond in fitting terms to the sentiment which my learned 

 and witty friend has announced so kindly in connection with 

 my name. I am glad to find that he sympathizes with me 

 fully in the difficulty of the theme. 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XXVII. 131. F. PRINTED JAN. 28, 1890. 



