SCIENCE AND POETRY. 361 



scientific in its nature, nor did I feel myself warranted, on 

 the other hand, in selecting for treatment a purely literary 

 theme. The via media was of course open to choice, but 

 the middle path between science and literature is hard to 

 enter and difficult to tread. Frequently, in the grave con- 

 cerns of life, a veritable atom may decide our fate, and waft 

 our schemes to full fruition or to ruin and dismay. So was 

 it in my dilemma regarding a subject which I mean not to 

 designate as a " weighty matter," save, indeed, in so far as 

 my ability to interest you was concerned. A chance perusal 

 of Principal Shairp's charming volume, "On Poetic Inter- 

 pretation of Nature," afforded a clue towards the selection 

 of a subject which might fall somewhat within the special 

 bent of your studies, whilst it might be said also to reach 

 somewhat within the range of mine. I shall, therefore, ask 

 your attention to a brief survey of some of the relations of 

 poetry to science, in the hope that such a study may per- 

 chance lead to our cultivating a wider sympathy and a better 

 understanding between the two chief modes of interpreting 

 nature which exist at the beck and call of civilised man. 



The learned and genial tone which characterises the 

 entire work of the Oxford professor of poetry renders the 

 volume a delightful companion under any circumstances, 

 or in almost any of the moods which constitute in their 

 totality the existence of man. Doubtless many, as I myself 

 discovered, will find in the work opinions with which they 

 must profess themselves at variance ; but there can be but 

 one deliverance concerning the candour and fairness with 

 which Principal Shairp states his own convictions and 

 criticises the opinions of others. At the very outset, we learn 

 from our author certain facts which are pertinent to our 

 present inquiry ; for it need hardly be said that I purpose to 

 deal with but a single aspect of poetry, that in which it 

 relates itself conformably or the reverse to science. "Poetry," 

 says Principal Shairp, " has three objects, which in varying 

 degrees enter into it, Man, Nature, and God." In this 

 work, the author deals with the second of those aspects alone, 



