ADDRESS 



OF 



PBOFESSOE SIMON NEWCOMB, 



THE RETIRING PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION. 



LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR 

 THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE: 



IN imposing on its retiring President the duty of delivering an 

 address, the constitution of this society sets no limits to his choice 

 of a theme. Both in these and in the corresponding addresses 

 delivered before the sister society of Great Britain, it has not been 

 uncommon for the speaker to choose for his subject the general 

 progress of scientific research during the year. This course is 

 now less common than formerly, because, owing to the immensity 

 of the field of research, it has become impossible for any ordi- 

 nary mind to follow its progress in all its branches. I have 

 thought, therefore, that a higher interest would attach to a theme 

 chosen from the field of modern scientific thought, and, by a 

 process in which I have been the follower rather than the leader of 

 my own contemplations, I have been led to present to you some 

 thoughts on the Course of Nature as seen in the light of modern 

 scientific and philosophic research. Though I have but a single 

 central idea to present to you, namely, that of the simplicity and 

 universality of the Laws of Nature, yet so great is the confusion 

 of thought whiph prevails on the question, What are the Laws of 



A. A. A. S., VOL. XXVII. 1 



