No. 129.] 149 



we were not to imagine every difficulty is a lion in our path, at the 

 same time it may be as well to remember that, in the Bodleian 

 collection of manuscript letters, we have an instance of an en- 

 thusiast following a butterHy for nine miles before he could 

 secure his prize. Now, unless this was a very rare specimen of 

 entomology, or one whose existence was either unknown or 

 doubted, this "pursuit of science under difficulties" was a mere 

 Avasting of our energies, and a diversion from more useful pur- 

 poses. 



Again, Sir, permit me to reiterate that the acquisition and 

 diffusion of knowledge is imperative on every man; and when 

 we consider the infinite variety of tastes and inclinations which 

 accompany humanity, the truth flashes upon us as self-evident, 

 that there is no thread in the great tapestry of nature in which 

 the process of induction, the art of reasoning from particulars to 

 generalities, may not be employed with honor, inteiest and profit. 

 In fact, in our aspirations after elementary principles, we must, 

 from the continuance and stedfastness of our application, arrive 

 at results, the permanent value of which we could not, at the 

 moment, have possibly dreamt of or imagined. 



It is the mere principle of selfishness to suppose that we have 

 done all that it is possible one can do ; nay, it is the essence of 

 irreligion to indulge any such imaginings ; for if we look into 

 tlie works of creation with the proper spirit of inquiry, we shall 

 there learn the great truth that the Divine Creator, so far from 

 expending his creative power on this wonderful world^ has left 

 us evidence that numberless new forms of matter could be pro- 

 duced from the same elements by any expression of his will. 

 Now this is a remarkable truth, and one on which we should do 

 well to ponder before we attempt to influence our minds with 

 the delusion that we have done all that, in our sphere, it is in- 

 cumbent on us to do in the acquisition and diffusion of knowl- 

 edge. Such a belief is a contracted prejudice; and, sir, we have 

 no moral right to mak^ ourselves the prisoners of prejudice. 



Of the necessity for this constant interchange of thoughts and 

 acquirements in science, and the results of our different experi- 



