236 PROF. G. MACLOSKIEj U.SC, LL.D.^ ON 



inhabitant of the tropics who had never seen ice might think that 

 ■water was always liquid, while an inhabitant of the Worth Pole 

 might say that all water was solid because he had never seen it in 

 its liquid state, but the change from the one state to the other is 

 not supernatural. So with one who had not seen the transforma- 

 tion from the grub to the butterfly. It would be supposed by us, 

 naturally, that a heart always beats in one direction and forces the 

 blood in one channel ; nevertheless the heart of some ascidians beats 

 in one direction for some time, and then reverses the process and 

 beats in the opposite direction. Even mechanical machines may 

 be made to change irregularly with uniform forces acting on them. 

 Babbage's calculating machine counted to 100,000,001 in perfect 

 order, then jumped 100,000 (viz. 100,100,002) continued for 2,761 

 terms, then changed again for 1,430 terms and then again for 950 

 terms of the third order. 1 have merely adduced these instances 

 to strengthen the conclusion at which I wish to arrive. I believe 

 that all the phenomena of life we see, however irregular they may 

 appear, are the result of the uniform action which we call natural 

 laws. These are,- as I have said, the active phenomena of life. But 

 are they mechanical laws ? If so under wliat branch of mechanics 

 can they be ranged ? Take the laws that govern reproduction. 

 The codtish, for instance, lays millions of eggs. The male of 

 another fish (the Arius Bookei) carries 12 eggs of the female in 

 his mouth till they are hatched. What conception of mechanics 

 is there in those two observed jDlienomena of life. I would suggest 

 that although definite laws plainly regulate the ordinary course of 

 animate nature, others equally definite may not yet be fully under- 

 stood by us, and both certainly imply a law giver who has power 

 not only to plan but to suspend or alter their action. I would 

 therefore regard the laws of God as uniform rather than 

 mechanical in their action, and that the law giver has power to 

 suspend or to alter this action, and, moreover, that there is in man 

 the power of mind, that can direct or modify some of these natural 

 laws at will, and this in an entirely non-mechanical manner. 



In conclusion I would emjDhasise the fact with regard to the 

 evolution of species — that as far as we can understand, involution 

 and evolution form a fixed equation, so that nothing can be ever 

 evolved 1;hat has not first of all been involved by the Creator or 

 Supreme Being. (Applause.) 



Dr. C. CoLLiNGWOOD. — Many points in this paper affoi'd matter 



