BRITISH ASSOCIATION.—THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS. 67 
To arrange and classify that universe of knowledge becomes therefore the first 
and perhaps the most important, object and duty of Science. It is only when 
brought into a system, by separating the incongruous and combining those elements 
in which we have been enable to discover the internal connexion which the 
Almighty has implanted in them, that we can hope to grapple with the boundless- 
ness of His creation, and with the laws which govern both mind and matter. The 
operation of Science then has been, systematically to divide human knowledge, and 
raise, as it were, the separate groups of subjects for scientific consideration, into 
different and distinct sciences. The tendency to create new sciences is peculiarly 
apparent in our present age, and is perhaps inseparable from so rapid a progress 
as we have seen in our days; for the acquaintance with and mastering of distinet 
branches of knowledge enables the eye, from the newly-gained points of sight, to 
see the new ramifications into which they divide themselves in strict consecutive 
ness and with logical necessity. But in thus gaining new centres of light, from 
which to direct our researches, and new and powerful means of adding to its ever- 
increasing treasures, science approaches no nearer to the limits of its range, 
' although travelling further and further from its original point of departure. For 
God’s world is infinite; and the boundlessness of the universe, whose confines ap- 
pear ever to retreat before our finite minds. strikes us no less with awe when, 
prying into the starry crowd of heaven, we find new worlds revealed to us by every 
increase in the power of the telescope, than when the microscope discloses to us 
in a drop of water, or an atom of dust, new worlds of life and animination, or the 
remains of such as have passed away. 
Whilst the tendency to push systematic investigation in every direction enables 
the individual mind of man to bring all the power of which he is capable to bear 
on the specialities of his study, and enables a greater number of labourers to 
take part in the universal work, it may be feared that that consciousness of its 
unity which must pervade the whole of science, if it is not to lose its last and 
highest point of sight, may suffer. It has occasionally been given to rare intel- 
lects and the highest genius, to follow the various sciences in their divergent 
roads, and yet to preserve that point of sight from which alone their totality can 
be contemplated and directed. Yet how rare is the appearance of such gifted 
intellects! And if they be found at intervals, they remain still single individuals, 
with all the imperfections of human nature. 
The only mode of supplying with any certainty this want, is to be sought in the 
combination of men of science representing all the specialities, and working to- 
gether for the common object of preserving that unity and presiding over that 
general direction. This has beer, to some extent, done in many countries by the 
establishment of academies embracing the whole range of the sciences, whether 
physical or metaphysical, historical or political. In the absence of such an insti- 
tution in this country, all lovers of science must rejoice at the existence and ac- 
tivity of this Association, which embraces in its sphere of action, if not the whole 
range of the sciences, yet a very large and important section of them, those 
known as the inductive sciences, excluding all that are not approached by the in- 
ductive method of investigation. It has, for instance (and, considering its peculiar 
organisation and mode of action, perhaps not unwisely ), eliminated from its con- 
sideration and discussions those which come under the description of moral and 
