13 



which they have kept ever afterwards, and greatly to their 

 advantage in the further prosecution of their researches. It is by 

 being tlms brought into contact with the scientific world, that 

 men see and learn what others are about as well as themselves ; 

 that they discover, in some instances, that what they had sup- 

 posed new is well known, — that they are made more thoroughly 

 acquainted with the present state of our knowledge in any given 

 department of science, and that they are kept back from putting 

 forth views and opinions not thoroughly matured, or which need 

 further sifting, such as can in no way be got better than by being 

 made the subject of public discussion. 



They also get enlarged views by having their attention drawn 

 to other branches of Science beside that which they themselves 

 study. 



These are days in which the sciences are fast advancing towards 

 higher generalisations than they Imve ever yet attained to. The 

 most intimate connection is found to exist amongst them, so that 

 a student cannot successful!}' follow up one without knowing 

 something of the others. There is a correlation of the physical 

 sciences, and there is a correlation of the natural sciences. Even 

 the physical and the natural sciences seem to find a bond of union 

 in chemistry, which has to deal with inquiries relating to both. 

 For while chemistry investigates the nature and constitution both 

 of organic and inorganic substances, it has at the same time to 

 consider the influences of those subtle agents, — light, heat, elec- 

 tricity and magnetism, — upon the ultimate particles of matter, 

 employing, too, formula? of an algebraical character, by which to 

 express more precisely tlie results of its analyses. Chemistry, 

 again, is closely connected with mineralogy ; insomuch that the 

 latter is now considered by many as more properly a branch of 

 chemistry than as a distinct science : yet mineralogy, in all that 

 relates to crystalline forms, is dependent upon geometrical laws, 

 and requires, on the part of the student, some knowledge and 

 application of mathematical reasoning as indispensable. 



