ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS 121 



set forth by Alison does not now command the accept- 

 ance it once held, but I venture to quote him, not so 

 much as a philosopher, as a naturalist; and this Club 

 will welcome one who studied under White of Selborne, 

 and whose pages are not confined to mental analysis, 

 but teem with admiration of rural scenery. Perchance 

 Robert Burns, in thanking Alison for a copy of his book, 

 feared without sufBcient cause that his theory implied 

 loss of enjoyment in the graces of Nature. If this were 

 so it would be unfortunate indeed. It is curious, however, 

 to read in a recent review of Hutcheson's Philosophy 

 that he " brought back the love of beauty." Strange 

 that it should ever have been lost or excluded ! In 

 regard to religious bias acting at times as an impediment 

 to the pursuit of science, it cannot be asserted generally 

 that this is now the case in the more limited domain 

 of Natural History, though it may be noted that when 

 the inevitable outcome of some investigation is realized, 

 it too often happens that the eye is closed to further 

 observation. It is, however, a gratifying fact that much 

 greater liberality of thought and mutual toleration now 

 prevails. The number of ministers of religion who are 

 members of scientific societies is now very considerable ; 

 men of high culture, and certainly not less eminent than 

 others labouring in the great field of science. Also it 

 should be conceded that where they have a strong 

 conviction on a subject deemed to be of capital import- 

 ance, its abandonment when found imperative must be 

 an effort of some severity. There will occur that 

 " laceration of mind " (as Dr Johnson expressed it) of 

 the Romanist who on becoming a Protestant has, he 

 says, to give up much, as compared with the Protestant 

 who on becoming a Romanist has rather to add to his 

 belief Then from the scientific side there is a more 

 generous bearing, and less of the ill-natured sneer or 

 gibe at beliefs conscientiously entertained. A modern 

 scientist, after warning those of honest faith that they 



