42 PROCEEDINGS OF THK CAXADIAX INSTITL'TE. 



currency into existence and use. Tlie practical politician may suggest 

 improvements in our municipal institutions if he finds them not in 

 his opinion perfect ; the jwlitical scientist, as such, confines himself 

 to ti'aciiig theii- growth and develoi)ment under the operation of cer- 

 tain influences. It is the business of the practical politician to meet 

 the growing needs of political society with new laws adajjted to the 

 situation ; it is the work of ihi scientific politician to tind out why 

 our laws are such as they are. And so on through a wide i-auge of 

 topics which might be cited. If it be objected to this view of ])oliti- 

 ■cal science that it is too narrow, tlie obvious reply is that to give the 

 term "science" Conite's meaning makes it impossible to a])))ly it at 

 once to the physical ;ind to the historical sciences. It is possible in 

 the region of ph3'sics to foretell with certainty future events ; it is 

 not possible in the region of history. It may he replied further, 

 that even on this narrow view of it political science is extremely im- 

 portant for two reasons : (1) because it affords one of the best possible 

 intellectual trainings, and (2) because though political science, as 

 such, does not aim at sociological improvement, the scientific study of 

 politics cannot but suggest to the mind of the student improvements 

 that in the way of practical politics should be made. Moreover, the 

 prosecution of such studies has a humanizing effect on the student. 

 No other discipline approaches this in its value as a means of counter- 

 acting the mischievous efforts of political partizanship with its 

 exaggerations, its prejudices, its hy))ocritical prai.se and etpially hypo- 

 critical blame, its condemnation of ojjponents without regard to what 

 is commendaV)le, and its condonation of the errors and even the ci"iuies 

 of fiiends. 



TWENTY-THIRD MEETING. 



Twenty-third Meeting, i8th April, i888, the President in 

 the chair. 



Mr. T. B. Browning, M.A., read a paper on " The Chamber- 

 lain Treaty, 1 888." 



