EDWARD BURGESS. 127 



but in none are they of greater importance than to aid in 

 the proper discharge of the duties that devolve upon the 

 citizens of a great republic. These duties, that are both 

 political and social, cannot be indifferently done, with- 

 out imperiling those favorable conditions that now make 

 scientific research so easy and inviting. 



The inevitable and unavoidable condition of man's ad- 

 vance, seems to be an ever increasing complexity. This 

 conclusion may be drawn from a study of the phenomena 

 themselves but not less truly than from the analogy of 

 the world of nature. As you advance in the scale of in- 

 telligence, the more complex becomes the physical struc- 

 ture ; so that complexity and capacity seem to be indis- 

 solubly related to one another. The same law governs 

 man's social advance. As a nation rises higher in the 

 scale of civilization, the social and political structure be- 

 come more complex ; indeed this very complexity is the 

 evidence and test of an increasing perfection. 



Now the maintenance of such a society presents ever 

 increasing difficulties. The demands made upon civilized 

 man to keep this subtle and nicely balanced framework 

 together are continually greater. Every resource that 

 he can lay hold of is therefore needed that he may ful- 

 fil the most important obligation. 



Everything else is subordinate to this imperious neces- 

 sity. In the earthly affairs of men, nothing rises higher 

 than government, for government is essential that we 

 may pursue our several callings, whatever they may be, 

 in peace and security. The creation and maintenance of 

 a stable society is the indispensible pre-requisite both 

 for man's happiness and man's development. 



Now as man rises higher in civilization, and as the 

 social structure becomes more and more complex, it is 

 seen with an ever increasing clearness, that on nothing 

 does the stability of that society so much depend as up- 

 on the existence and extension of justice. This is not 



83 



