THE ROYAL SOCIETY AND THE STATE 



beams as to enable us to apply the methods of the labor- 

 atory to the heavenly bodies. By means of their radiations 

 alone we discuss their chemical constitution and their 

 orbital and other motions, which were before unknowable. 

 By each discovery the vision of the world has become more 

 glorious, the wonder of it more amazing, while chambers 

 and palaces of Nature still unexplored remain the exhaust- 

 less heritage of all coming generations. Are our theories 

 more than artificial conceptions, mental pictures co- 

 ordinating a large range of facts and guiding us to new 

 facts ? Have we approached even within telescopic view 

 of the reality of things ? What sustains the uniformity of 

 Nature ? What is behind the obvious trend and direction 

 of development of the cosmos ? Was there a beginning ? 

 Will there be an end ? Or, do 



"The torrents of her myriad universe 

 Fly on to clash together again, and make 

 Another and another frame of things 

 For ever" ? 



Science is silent ; but with eyes aflame looks forward to 

 the coming day 



"When light shall spread . . . 

 Thro' all the seasons of the golden year."] 



QO 



