i.] ANTECEDENTS. 3 



A naturalist must construct his picture of na- 

 ture on the same principle that an engraver in 

 mezzotint proceeds on his plate, beginning with 

 the principal lights as so many different points 

 of departure, and working outwards from each 

 of them until the intervening spaces are covered. 

 Some definition of an ideal scientific man might 

 possibly be given and accepted, but who is to 

 decide in each case whether particular indivi- 

 duals fall within the definition 1 It seems to . 

 me the best way to take the verdict of the 

 scientific world as expressed in definite language. 

 It may be over lenient in some cases, in others 

 it may never have been uttered, but on the 

 whole it appears more satisfactory than any 

 other verdict which exists or is attainable. To / 

 have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society / 

 since the reform in the mode of election, intro- 

 duced by Mr. Justice Grove nearly thirty years 

 ago, is a real assay of scientific merit. Owing 

 to various reasons, many excellent men of 

 science of mature ages, may not be Fellows, 

 but those who bear that title cannot but be 

 considered in some degree as entitled to the 



B 2 



