382 Obituary—The Rev. Henry Hugh Higgins, M.A. 
dug out of the earth are rendered useful to man by being passed 
through various processes. Thus iron was to be seen in several 
stages, from the ore to the manufactured article. The introduction 
of mechanical models into the course of school lessons was also one 
of his ideas, and this was admirably carried out, notably by the: 
‘model clock” (made for him by Mr. George Eccles, clockmaker), 
which can be taken to pieces and put together again by the fingers, 
without the aid of tools. This clock is sent to the elementary 
schools whenever required, and when not so in use it stands in the: 
vestibule of the Museum. He also strongly advocated the use of 
the lantern and limelight in illustrating lectures and lessons. 
So deeply did he feel the importance of a museum as an institu- 
tion which should be extended and rendered as complete and useful 
as possible, that he gladly took part in organising the Museums’ 
Association, which held its first regular meeting in Liverpool in 
June, 1890, and, having been chosen the first President, he delivered 
the inaugural address, in the course of which, after having dealt with 
the general subject of natural histcry museums and their appliances, 
he went on to speak of “The New Knowledge.” ‘As members,” 
he said, ‘‘of our museum fellowship we are bound to be more or less 
familiar with the scientific side of the new knowledge, and must 
have felt the magnitude of the revolution it has brought about. It 
has an equally potent moral side, from which I will ask you to con- 
sider an inference fraught with encouragement for the future. ‘The 
new knowledge leads to the conclusion that the most exalted pro- 
ductions ever brought forth in poetry, philosophy, or science were 
not obtained otherwise than in the orderly course of results which 
had gone before. Shakespeare could not have lived 100 years before 
his time. His life was not a miracle, except as having its share in 
that ever-energising and enduring life-miracle in the presence of 
which we stand silent with bowed heads. Galileo, Bruno, had their 
times prepared for them, and in their turn prepared the way for 
Faraday, Agassiz, Darwin. Nor is there in our own days even the 
Irast indication of an approach to finality ; gravitation, electricity, 
life are unknown essences. In biology some of the most illustrious 
discoveries still exhibit crudities and incompleteness removing them - 
beyond a measurable distance from perfection. Were they, then, 
not discoveries? Assuredly they were; and in spite of all im- 
perfections they are the glory of our times. But what we claim for 
our own knowledge we must grant to the attainments of our prede- 
cessors, admitting freely that there may be great good and even great 
glory in a very imperfect stage of knowledge, if it be that which is 
best fitted for its environments. This we have been slack in per- 
ceiving, because we have not realised how vast, how unique a thing 
has been the flow of knowledgé from age to age. Take the know- 
ledge of any age: it is a goal; it has been tended towards and 
reached by the efforts and successes of many former ages: it is a 
terminus, long forecasted, towards which the steps of followers have 
been unconsciously directed, rendering it more and more accessible 
as generations came and went.” So much interest did Mr. Higgins 
manifest in the success of the Museums’ Association that he con- 
