xxii STUDIES IN THE EVOLUTION OF ANIMALS 



terminology, we begin to hope that the tide may turn, and that we 

 and future generations may yet be released from the mockery 

 which some may think a good substitute for science. 



The pursuits of the specialists no doubt were a great induce- 

 ment to coining new names for every cell, for every joint, for 

 every limb of a Milliped, and so forth. This, however, is what Dr. 

 Burdon Sanderson has said, in his inaugural address to the British 

 Association in 1 893 : Specialism advances knowledge at the risk of 

 deteriorating the man, and tends to exaggerate the importance of 

 one set of phenomena, simply because the bearing of another 

 set is not seen in the course of that division of labour. 



Taking a philosophical view of any set of phenomena does not 

 mean that you have never attended to detail by close inspection ; 

 but it means that you are able to withdraw your mind to a distance 

 from the detail, and so take a broader view of the whole landscape, 

 so as to include more of creation at one time, and thus obtain 

 a comprehensive view of the relativity of the detail. 



John Hunter said — ' Don't think, try.' He however not only 

 tried, but also thought. The bane of modern life seems to be that 

 there is too much trying, and very little thinking of what may 

 happen ! We should now say — ' Think, investigate, imagine, and 

 also try.' And when you get an idea into your head follow it up. 

 If it is worth anything, and if it has any truth in it, and if you get 

 rid of your mental inertia, and keep your eyes and ears open, you will be 

 sure sooner or later to come across evidence in support of your idea. 

 You have also of course to read and ascertain, if you can, what 

 others have thought and have written on the same set of subjects. 

 These are all various ways of ascertaining the truth, and of making 

 sure that it is truth you are dealing with. 



We have been for centuries ' hag ridden ' by monstrous fictions, 

 and it is certainly a comfort to emerge from the pressure of this 



