MAN THE INTERPRETER OF NATURE. 187 



tenor of the answer I had received, to make a formal appHcation 

 to this effect, the Hberal arrangements of the Government have 

 been carried out under the advice of a scientific Committee, which 

 included representatives of this Association. Her Majesty's ship 

 Challenger, a vessel in every way suitable for the purpose, is now 

 being fitted out at Sheerness ; the command of the expedition is 

 intrusted to Captain Nares, an officer of whose high qualifications 

 I have myself the fullest assurance ; while the scientific charge of 

 it will be taken by my excellent friend Professor Wyville Thomson, 

 at whose suggestion it was that these investigations were originally 

 commenced, and whose zeal for the efficient prosecution of them 

 is shown by his relinquishment for a time of the important academic 

 position he at present fills. It is anticipated that the expedition 

 will sail in November next ; and I feel sure that the good wishes 

 of all of you will go along with it. 



The confident anticipation expressed by my predecessor, that 

 for the utilization of the total eclipse of the sun then impending, 

 our Government would " exercise the same wise liberality as 

 " heretofore in the interests of science," has been amply fulfilled. 

 An eclipse-expedition to India was organized at the charge of the 

 Home Government, and placed under the direction of Mr. Lockyer; 

 the Indian Government contributed its quota to the work ; and a 

 most valuable body of results was obtained, of which, with those 

 of the previous year, a report is now being prepared under the 

 direction of the Council of the Astronomical Society. 



It has been customary with successive occupants of this chair, 

 distinguished as leaders in their several divisions of the noble 

 army of science, to open the proceedings of the meetings over 

 which they respectively presided, with a discourse on some aspect 

 of Nature in her relation to man. But I am not aware that any 

 one of them has taken up the other side of the inquiry — that 

 which concerns man as the " Interpreter of Nature ; " and I have 

 therefore thought it not inappropriate to lead you to the con- 

 sideration of the mental processes, by which are formed those 

 fundamental conceptions of matter and force, of cause and effect, 

 of law and order, which furnish the basis of all scientific reasoning, 

 and constitute the Philosophia prima of Bacon. There is a great 



