1901-1902.] 45 



was such study that led Harvey to the discovery of the circu- 

 lation of the blood, which had resulted in such inestimable 

 blessings to mankind. Other examples of like nature might be 

 cited. The Field Club was a place where papers were read at 

 times in which terms were used that were often unintelligible 

 to the average member. In field excursions objects were 

 pointed out and a name given to them ; often the lecturer took 

 for granted that his hearers understood the terms he used, and 

 did not explain them as they arose, and he was convinced that 

 often the members did not understand the terms used or the 

 bearings and relations of the objects to other objects in 

 nature. The scientific terms were a kind of shorthand 

 introduced in the midst of common writing — they were full 

 of meaning, but if the terms were not understood then the 

 meaning of the discourse or paper would be lost. In the 

 classes of the Technical Institute these terms were explained 

 with their use and value ; so explained that they could be 

 systematically labelled as the pigeon-holes in which to store 

 in an orderly manner subsequent observations. By this 

 means the relation of each branch of science to the whole 

 structure and the detailed study of each branch itself can be 

 carefully gone into. The Institute can supply the theory and 

 the Club the practice. Progress can also be tested by means 

 of properly conducted examinations. While the lecturer so 

 strongly advocated the systematic study of nature, he had no 

 intention to decry the unsystematic study of natural science ; 

 better to study in that way than not to study at all. Get a 

 knowledge of natural science, get it thoroughly if you can, 

 but get it. 



A discussion was invited on the address, and the follow- 

 ing members took part : — Messrs. C. M. Cunningham, R. 

 Welch, Adam Speers, B.Sc. ; A. Milligan, R. May, John 

 Hamilton, J. St. J. Phillips, and the chairman, Mr. William 

 Gray, M.R.I. A. None of the speakers took exception to any 

 part of Mr. Forth 's address, which dealt with the general 

 principle rather than with the detailed methods of teaching 

 to be adopted in any of the branches of science. 



