SCIENCE AND SOCIETY 3 



particular science. The one observes and describes, the 

 other experiments and explains. The impossibility of 

 carrying such a division of the subject to a logical issue 

 proves how artificial it is. In fact it can never be 

 strictly applied. The morphologist is bound to describe 

 the function of an organ and the physiologist its struc- 

 ture. Nevertheless, this division of the science of 

 botany, and particularly the narrow specialisation of 

 scientific activity, threaten to become a serious danger 

 for the future, a confusion of tongues as at Babel : 

 for surely the morphologist will cease to understand 

 the physiologist, and the physiologist will cease to 

 take interest in the work of the morphologist: every 

 specialist will shut himself up in his narrow province, 

 without troubling himself as to what takes place out- 

 side of it. The existence of these two provinces is, 

 nevertheless, an inevitable fact, owing to a necessity 

 against which it is entirely futile to demur. 



It is nevertheless clear that these two provinces are 

 capable in very different degree of attracting general 

 attention, the attention of people not conversant with 

 science and only interested in its supreme achievements. 

 A simple description or enumeration of the plants 

 and animals about us cannot excite any general interest, 

 although the number of people who find pleasure in an 

 acquaintance with the native flora and fauna does prove 

 a certain degree of scientific development in the public. 

 The fragmentary description of remarkable plants and 

 animals arouses but little interest, being too hackneyed, 

 and suitable only for children's books, or for occasional 

 illustrated publications for grown-up people. General 

 attention may perhaps be attracted by some marvel, 

 such as a carnivorous plant devouring living people, 

 an absurdity which appeared some time ago in many 

 foreign papers as well as in our own dailies, and even 

 slipped into more specialised publications. 



The situation is different with regard to the explana- 



