INAVOURAL ADDRESS. 27 



of the Society, other residents in the district coming across 

 matters of interest would put themselves in communication 

 with him, and in this way much useful information would be 

 gained which might otherwise be lost. 



Second, we should take every opportunity of dissemi- 

 nating the great truth that even in the humblest occupation 

 some knowledge of the sciences — which lie at the basis of all 

 industries — enables the workman, in the words of Sir Lyon 

 Playfair, " to dignify and fructify his labour by understanding 

 it." Not long ago, at a farmers' meeting in this City, I 

 tried to point out how largely science enters into the daily 

 operations of the agriculturist; how he would be all the 

 better for knowing something of the rudiments of geology 

 and chemistry in dealing with his soil and manures; of 

 engineering and mechanics in dealing with drainage and 

 irrigation, and in the working of his labour-saving 

 machinery ; of the structure and habits of plants and animals; 

 and of meteorology, which is fast becoming a science. And 

 I pointed out that while now such knowledge, all things 

 being equal, would probably enable a man to surpass his 

 fellows, that, in the future, unless he possessed it he would 

 inevitably fall behind them. The institution of popular 

 lectures would do much to disseminate this sort of knowledge. 

 These are by no means as common in Tasmania, nor, as far 

 as I can ascertain, in Australasia generally, as they ought 

 to be ; nor is it always easy to secure good popular lecturers. 

 Still, there is a great field open to us in helping such a move- 

 ment forward. If there were a general demand for such 

 lectures, the lecturers would somehow or other be found ; 

 and even if they were not of the first rank, they would 

 nevertheless be able to do much good. We should therefore 

 do what we can to stimulate this demand: and I think the 

 minds of the pubhc generally would easily be moved in this 

 direction ; for, besides the fact that a man is always ready to 

 imbibe any knowledge respecting his own particular business 

 or avocation if it is presented to him in an attractive shape, 

 there is undoubtedly a general spirit of enquiry abroad which 

 desires to be directed into proper channels. 



Lastly, we should use all our influence, each in his own 

 sphere, to secure that the rudiments of science are taught in 

 our primary schools, and that science classes of a more ad- 



