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profiress of some of its branches, geology for instance, 

 strong and rapid, has yet been not unlike, in one respect, 

 to those chaotic revolutions which it contemplates and 

 describes, where a peak rises and again sinks into seething 

 lava, and is succeeded by another landmark, in its turn, 

 too, to fall ; still a guiding hand and a design unseen per- 

 vade all and tend to an end, and for the aftertime I look 

 forward confidently to triumphs of yet a higher order for 

 true science than even those great material ones which 

 have distinguished our age over all previously recorded in 

 history ; but to attain this end, scientific studies, like 

 others, must be followed in a right spirit, they must be 

 given their proper place, and approached as Newton is said 

 to have approached them, with that humble simplicity of 

 mind which the poet Tennyson justly attributes to our 

 greatest British warrior of modern times in the noble 

 words, — 



" And as the greatest only are 

 In his simplicity sublime." 



True, indeed, this is a mark of the greatest minds, but it 

 is a quality not inherent to outward greatness or ability, 

 and the humblest student may, and should, possess it, and 

 possessing it will possess a philosopher's stone of untold 

 value. It is, of course, given only to the few to climb the 

 heights of science, but the many who, perhaps, chiefly as a 

 relaxation from the toils of their every day life, recreate 

 themselves and bask on the sunny slopes that lie at their 

 feet ; even they, may not only gain knowledge and amuse 

 their minds, but further, by careful examination of the 

 natural objects around them, may collect facts which may 

 furnish data for others of higher scientific attainments to 

 collate, arrange, and draw conclusions from. In doing 

 this, as I pointed out at one of our monthly meetings, care 

 should be taken to preserve strict accuracy of detail, and 

 to take heed not to be unconsciously led to square facts to 

 preconceived theories, but to let them speak for themselves. 

 There is great scope for this kind of work left in many 

 branches of science, and in a comparatively newly settled 

 country like this. I would especially refer to the provinces 

 of geology, natural history, and botany. The Rev. Julian 

 Tenison- Woods, at one of our meetings, when reading an 

 interesting paper to us, made some observations on this 

 point which impressed themselves on my mind, as no 

 doubt on those of others. At my request he has lately 



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