ANNUAL MEETING. 



9 



speculation, and it has always proved to be useful in the long run. 

 But still, behind Nature is God, and it is better, I think, to realise 

 Nature as the revealer of God than to spend too much time in 

 speculating as to the mode in which Nature came into being. 



I have great pleasure in moving the resolution I have read. 



Major-General Hallowes.— I beg to second the resolution that 

 has been moved by Canon Girdlestone. 



[The resolution was then put to the Meeting by the President 

 and carried unanimously.] 



Dr. Walter Kidd, M.D. — I beg to propose the following reso- 

 lution: "That the thanks of the Members and Associates be 

 presented to the Council, Hon. Officers, and Auditors for their 

 efficient conduct of the business of the Victoria Institute during- 

 the year." 



Major-General Sir Chas. Wilson. — I beg to second that. 



[The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.] 



Mr. David Howard, D.L. — On behalf of the Council and Officers 

 of the Victoria Institute, I beg to thank you for the vote you have 

 just passed. 



I can assure you it is not a light matter to take part in the 

 work of the Victoria Institute. There is so much that is new, so 

 much that is interesting, and so much that ought to be thought 

 about that it is often a little difficult to know exactly what line to 

 take for consideration. It is impossible to do all we might do, or 

 Ave would willingly do it under the terms of our constitution, and 

 yet what we do is done with all our hearts. What we do is to 

 endeavour to spread a Avise and sober habit of thought in all the 

 many questions that come up before us, and, after all, it is the 

 habit of thought that is perhaps the most important point. It is 

 very possible to an'i\'e wrongly at a right conclusion. It is very 

 possible to hold what is perfecfcl}^ true on a perfectly unsound 

 basis. 



I have known people aa'Iio on points of elementary science had 

 that delightful assui*ance which comes early in life, and Avhich Ave 

 unfortunately lose in later life, Avhen we know a little more ; and 

 when I haA'e asked them the grounds of their certainty, they 

 have giA^en answers that were right, but their bases were wrong. 

 What Ave Avant. is soundness of method, and the more one studies, 

 the more the measure of soundness of method seems to me to be 

 the proportion that rules the two great factors in progress — viz., 



