THE PHILOSOPHIC TEMPER 



peasant may take rank immeasurably above some 

 scientists so-called whose names have once filled 

 all men s ears. 



It was my good-fortune to hear the memorable 

 speech delivered by Mr. John Morley after a recent 

 graduation ceremonial of the University of Edin 

 burgh. It consisted of a pregnant warning against 

 the fetters of formalism, academic or other. The 

 danger of such fetters, in Mr. Morley s opinion, lies 

 in their power of turning men from the love of 

 truth, a love so rare that a friend of his, acquainted 

 with wellnigh all the great of his time, could count 

 only four of these among the chosen. Not merely 

 scientific truth, in the narrow sense, is here spoken 

 of need I say? The speaker went on to explain 

 and justify this amazing citation, but I believe that 

 his meaning had already been expressed in lan 

 guage better than his. There is in the true man 

 of science, said Tyndall, a wish stronger than the 

 wish to have his beliefs upheld the wish to have 

 them true. For &quot;man of science&quot; substitute 

 &quot;lover of truth,&quot; and you have the philosophic 

 temper defined. It is for all to gain, but how few 

 there be that find it. Yet this alone, as Mr. Mor 

 ley says, can confer &quot;liberty of mind.&quot; In the 

 service of truth alone is perfect freedom. 



Surely there can be no misunderstanding here. 

 It is, indeed, natural and well that, having what 

 you believe to be a true belief, you should wish 

 it should wish the truth upheld. Fortunately 

 we are all proselytizers at heart, as Carlyle said. 



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