President's Address. 205 



human reason, I liold, has its limits, as well as everything 

 else which is sublunary has its limits. 



The mind of man has never yet reached or succeeded in ex- 

 posing to view the arcana of the spiritual and immaterial world, 

 nor is it likely to do so, and it is a pity, therefore, that useful 

 talent should be wasted in attempting what, in my opinion, is 

 such a Sisyphian-like task. 



To conclude, I have given some idea of the means by which 

 science in these days is being encouraged and promoted. 

 Every year is fertile in new discoveries and subjects of 

 inquiry. One year we have the wonders of the spectroscope 

 displayed ; another year, the motive power of light exhibited, 

 as illustrated by the radiometer; and betimes again, con- 

 troversial discussions as to spontaneous and sporadic gene- 

 ration abound. Sound is discoursed upon, its properties of 

 transmission and its record, as illustrated by these wonder- 

 ful instruments, the telephone and phonograph, and so on. 

 In short, a multitude of new subjects are continually being 

 evolved to stimulate the mental energies and inquiries of 

 willing workers in most branches of science. " Light calleth 

 unto light for more light," and in the excavated mass of 

 rubbish turned up, brilliants are often seen to scintillate. 

 In the search for gold gems are displayed, undreamed-of 

 treasures. To speak without metaphor, in the search 

 after truth, unsuspected happy results frequently reward the 

 ingenious and plodding student. Let me say, finally, that 

 much of the excellent work of the present day is attained by 

 co-operation, by the sub-division of labour, and not a little by 

 concentration of thought and labour — say, for example, by the 

 restriction of inquiry to a single botanical, entomological, or 

 other genus at a time, and by patiently working it out in 

 all its specific details. Various other work is thus also 

 more satisfactorily accomplished. This, of course, infers a 

 certain amount of enthusiasm and abnegation, but I consider 

 enthusiasm to be the very primum mohile of all scientific 

 labour. Nothing can be done well or successfully without 

 it. 



On the motion of Professor Duns, D.D., seconded by James 



VOL. IV. Y 



