72 Haykcr : Petrology in Yorkshire. 



solidarit}^ of geology, and indeed of natural science as a whole, 

 which is in great danger of being lost in this age of specialisa- 

 tion. Bacon, three hundred years ago, might take all know- 

 ledge for his province : to-day he is a bold man who shall 

 attempt to embrace all geology. Rapid development in every 

 direction has forced the professed student of science to devote 

 himself to some one or more comparatively limited lines of 

 research ; and this condition of things, inevitable as it is, has 

 some drawbacks, which are sufficiently apparent and have often 

 been deplored. One consequence is that, while the main lines 

 of investigation are thoroughly explored, the bye-ways and 

 cross-cuts may often remain neglected. Herein lies the special 

 opportunity of the amateur worker, who is bound by no restric- 

 tions, but can bring his enterprise to bear at a point where it 

 is likely to be effective. 



One other consideration I cannot omit, although I approach 

 it not without some trepidation. Men who pass their lives 

 in the cultivation of some branch of science, whether by 

 practising or by teaching, are under an insidious temptation, 

 which seems to be incident to professionalism of any kind : 

 I mean the temptation to pay an undue respect to received 

 doctrines, merely because they are generally received. To say 

 so much is only to say that men of science are human, and 

 history shows that the professional geologist has in this matter 

 his full share of our common nature. It may be replied that 

 there is little danger in the twentieth century of a scientific 

 priesthood uniting to impose an orthodox creed upon the laity ; 

 and it is of course true that on many questions there is a 

 healthy difference of opinion among professed men of science 

 themselves. None the less the tendency of authority to 

 override independent judgment is a possibility which we can 

 at no time afford to disregard, and it is especially to the amateur 

 element among scientific workers that we must look for a 

 corrective. There are few duties more important than that of' 

 maintaining the fullest freedom of thought in all matters 

 scientific. Better the wildest ' crank ' than the authority, 

 however eminent, who refuses to reconsider his position. 



It is time to bring my rather rambling discourse to a close. 

 If I have dwelt more on the opportunities which lie before us 

 than on the achievements which lie behind, I trust that my 

 remarks will not be thought inappropriate, for that reason, 

 to the occasion on which we are met together. The end of one 

 period is, we may hope, the beginning of another, which may 

 be equally fruitful in results ; and it rests with us, each in his 

 degree, to make good this aspiration, handing on unimpaired to 

 those who follow the tradition of keen interest and conscientious 

 v\^ork which we have received from our predecessors. Many 

 have been the changes around us in the fifty years now past, 

 and those who live will assuredly see many changes in the 



Natvirali?.!, 



