240 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[Sept. 19, 1884. 



sort of sound, from a clap of tlie hands to the clearest vowel 

 sound, the discrimination is not only possible, but easy and 

 instinctive. 



In these cases it does not appear how the possession of 

 two ears helps, though there is some evidence that it does, 

 and even when sound comes to us from the right or left the 

 explanation of the ready discrimination which is then pos- 

 sible with pure tones is not so easy as it at first appears. 

 We should be inclined to think the sound was heard much 

 more loudly with the ear which is turned towards than the 

 ear that is turned from it, and that in this way the direc- 

 tion was recognised ; but if we try the experiment we find 

 that at any rate with notes near the middle of the musical 

 scale the difference of loudness is by no means so very 

 great. The wave lengths of such notes are long enough 

 in relation to the dimensions of the head to forbid the 

 formation of anything like a sound shadow in which the 

 averted ear might be sheltered. 



LANGUAGES AND MATHEMATICS. 



In concluding, reference was made to the place the dead 

 languages hold in general education, and the opinion ex- 

 pressed by some that it was monstrous that they should 

 continue to hold such a position. He did not take up an 

 extreme position, but doubted whether an exclusively 

 scientific training would be satisfactory. Where there is 

 plenty of time and a literary aptitude, he could believe that 

 Latin and Greek might make a good foundation. It was 

 useless to discuss the question upon the supposition that the 

 majority of boys attain either to a knowledge of languages 

 or to an appreciation of the writing of ancient authors. The 

 contrary is notoriously true, and defenders of the existing 

 system usually take their stand on the excellence of its 

 discipline. From this point of view there is something to 

 be said. The laziest boy must exert himself in puzzling out 

 a sentence with grammar and dictionary, while instruction 

 and supervision are easy to organise and not too costly. 

 But when the case is stated plainly few will agree that 

 we can afford to entirely disregard results. In after-life 

 intellectual energies are usually engrossed with business, 

 and no further opportunity is afforded for attacking the 

 difficulties which block the gateways. ^Mathematics, espe- 

 cially if not learned young, are likely to remain unlearned. 

 He would not further insist upon the educational import- 

 ance of mathematical science, because with respect to them 

 he would probably be supposed to be prejudiced, but of 

 modern language he was ignorant enough to give value to 

 his advocacy. " I believe," said he, " that French and 

 German, if properly taught — which I admit they rarely 

 are at present — would go far to replace Latin and Greek 

 from a disciplinary point of view, while the actual value of 

 the acquisition would, in a majority of cases, be incom- 

 parably greater. In half the time usually devoted without 

 success to the classical languages most boys could acquire 

 a really serviceable knowledge of French and German 

 history, and a serious study of English literature, now 

 shamefully neglected, would also find a place in such a 

 scheme. 



SCIENCE AND MATERIALISM. 



" There is one objection often felt to a modernised educa- 

 tion, as to which a word may not be without use. Many 

 excellent people are afraid of science as tending towards 

 materialism. That such apprehension should exist is not 

 surprising, for unfortunately there are writers, speaking in 

 the name of science, who have set themselves to foster it. 

 It is true that among scientific men, as among the other 

 classes, crude views are to be met with as to the deeper 

 things of Nature, but that the lifelong belief of Newton, 



of Faraday, and of !Maxwell is inconsistent with the 

 scientific habit of mind is surely a proposition which I 

 need not pause to refute. It would be easy, however, to 

 lay too much stress upon opinions of even such dis- 

 tinguished workers as these. So far as the opinion of a 

 scientific worker may have a special value, I do not think 

 that he has a claim superior to that of other educated men 

 to assume the attitude of a prophet. In his heart he 

 knows that underneath the theories he constructs there lie 

 contradictions which he cannot reconcile. The higher 

 mysteries of being, if penetrable at all by human intel- 

 lect, require other weapons than those of calculation and 

 experiment. Without encroaching upon grounds apper- 

 taining to the theologian's and philosopher's domain, 

 natural science is surely broad enough to satisfy the 

 wildest ambition of its devotees in other departments of 

 human life and interest 



" True progress is rather an article of faith than a 

 rational belief, but in science a retrograde movement is, 

 from the nature of the case, almost impossible. Increasing 

 knowledge brings with it increasing power, and, great as 

 are the triumphs of the present century, we may well 

 believe that they are but a foretaste of what discovery 

 and invention have yet in store for mankind. En- 

 couraged by the thought that our labours cannot be thrown 

 away, let us redouble our efforts in the noble struggle. 

 In the Old World and in the New recruits must be en- 

 listed to fill the places of those whose work is done. 

 Happy should I be if through this visit of the Association 

 or by any words of mine a larger measure of the youthful 

 activity of the West could be drawn into this service. 

 The work may be hard and the discipline severe, but the 

 interest never fails, and great is the privilege of achieve- 

 ment." 



LIECT. GREELyS WELCOME. 



As Section E. was about proceeding to business a couple 

 of tall gentlemen of very unassuming appearance entered 

 the room. One of the strangers, a dark-looking gentleman 

 with a short black beard and side-whiskers, seated himself 

 just inside the door of the antechamber, where he was 

 immediately surrounded and welcomed in an expressive 

 manner by Sir Henry Lefroy and other members of the 

 committee. Sir Henry in welcoming Lieut. Greely said 

 that he, as well as all geographical and scientific men of 

 Great Britain and the whole of Europe, had followed with 

 great interest the efforts made to effect the release of his 

 party, and hailed with the keenest delight their rescue. 

 Lieut. Greely, in reply, remarked that he was delighted at 

 being invited to the British Association, and in attending, 

 and only hoped that he could do more than he would be 

 able to. He would, of course, connect himself with 

 the geographical section principally, and would con- 

 tribute some of the results of the expedition. In reply 

 to Sir Henry's inquiries, Lieut. Greely stated that the 

 meteorological observations have not been reduced. In an 

 animated manner he proceeded to speak of some of the 

 work done by the expedition. One of the most interesting 

 results will be the comparison of the swinging of the 

 pendulum at the furthest point north reached with that at 

 Washington. He explained that although most of their 

 instruments had to be abandoned, the pendulum apparatus, 

 which weighed 90 lb., was brought back, and has been 

 sent to Washington, where it has been reswung, and com- 

 parisons will be made. He remarked, with evident pride, 

 that he had told his party that pendulum was a very im- 

 portant instrument, but that if one man of the twenty-five 

 complained he would immediately abandon it. None would 

 hear of this, and a very important comparison is thus 



