322 Evolution and Social Reform : 



contracted the slow malarial fever of Georgeism or the 

 cerebro-spinal meningitis of Bellamy ism I could not know. 

 ]^ut wlien I saw his lecture 1 was at once relieved, and I 

 can only hope the day will soon come when Mr. Potts's 

 Socialism will supersede other systems and become univer- 

 sally trium2)hant ! 



Without knowing exactly the position of Mr. Pentecost, 

 I must confess that the line of reflection to which I have 

 just made reference was disturbed by a ghastly suspicion. 

 What if it were possible that these three gentlemen were 

 selected because of the very fact that their own methods 

 were conspicuously the opposite of those with which they 

 were to deal ? If such were the case, exactly where would 

 I stand with respect to the Scientific method ? Perhaps 

 as a horrible example of the unscientific ; or perhaps, if I 

 defended science, I should be thought a disguised enemy, 

 ready to smite under the fifth rib while pretending friendly 

 interest. Nevertheless, I shall dare assume to represent 

 true science, and to be a sincere believer in the scientific- 

 method, though I run the risk of having some kind Socrates 

 come up to me patronizingly but pityingly, and say : " Good 

 friend, you are not at all scientific ; you only think you are. 

 You consider you know everything, while in reality you 

 know nothing. With science you are very evidently 

 unacquainted." If the courtesy of this audience spares 

 me such a punishment, I am sure there are plenty of 

 theologians, socialists and anarchists, who Avould be glad 

 to inflict it in the name of science. For they all claim to 

 be scientific. Science is good to conjure by, and in these 

 days we have not so much need of exalting lier name as of 

 detecting and exposing those who have stolen her livery to 

 serve ignorance and sciolism. 



We ouglit then to define our position and understand 

 what we mean by the Scientific method. It is Social 

 Jveforni or improvement that we have in view, and we want 

 to know tlie Scientific method of ett'ecting it. Why do we 

 seek for the Scientific mode ? AVhy not follow an unsci- 

 entific method ? Because it is presupposed that the 

 scientific is more likely to accomplish the desired practical 

 end. What reason is there for such a presumption ? The 

 same reason tliat causes us to believe we can raise figs 

 better on fig-trees tlian on tliistles ; that, knowing tlie 

 geography of the earth, if we steer by tlie sun and stars 



