1865.] Tlie President's Address. 729 



Of Man, his antiquity and origin (the latter being linked by him with 

 his brief passing observations on the " Origin of Species"), Professor 

 Phillips speaks very cautiously, and in one instance, as it seems to us, 

 too much so. He appears, notwithstanding his sincere protest to the 

 contrary, to approach that bugbear of modern Science, " descent by 

 modification," with timid steps, and with some apprehension lest he 

 should offend the orthodox ; and there will doubtless have been many 

 a smile amongst our fast men of Science and thorough-going Dar- 

 winians, when they read his remark that " often out of the nettlesof 

 danger, we have plucked the flowers of safety." 



Unless we misapprehend the author's meaning (and it is not our 

 fault if we do, for he is too cautious to be explicit), his observation 

 brings before us again most vividly the staid " managing man," who, 

 when he sees the younger members of the firm embark in hazardous 

 ventures — employ steam and the telegraph instead of the safe old 

 barque and, at most, the estafette, as he did — cannot help feeling that 

 even if all be right, and the " flowers of safety " may be plucked " from 

 the nettles of danger," the speed is far too great for his taste. Of 

 course we revere and admire the white head none the less for its 

 doubtful shake, and wish indeed that a little of its cautious contents 

 might be transferred into the crania of some of those who, it would 

 almost appear, are engaged to do the comic business of the Associ- 

 ation ; for whom modern views of Science are far too slow, and who 

 conceive that they can best elevate themselves in the scale of humanity 

 by bespattering and humbling their fellow-creatures. 



But, whilst we can to some extent sympathize with Professor 

 Phillips in the caution with which he approaches this " development " 

 question, there is one matter in which we consider him to have com- 

 mitted a grave oversight. 



The fathers of Science he pets and holds up time after time to 

 admiration, and as our eye glances over his Address, we see the names 

 of Priestley and Watt ; Tyndall, Joule, Grove, and Kankin ; Sabine, 

 Kirchhoff, Kose, and Herschel ; Humboldt and Glaisher (and Coxwell !) ; 

 Airy, Hamilton, Whewell, Miller, Liebig, Hofmann, and many more 

 of that rank ; men who have earned their honours and their titles, and 

 many of whom belong to the Upper House of " this Parliament of 

 Science ;" but we look in vain for the helping hand held out to the 

 younger men, to those who will constitute the future of the Association 

 of which Professor Phillips was one of the founders ; to that class to 

 which he essentially belongs. 



It is true that " Naturalists' Field Clubs " are named, and we are 

 told that " wherever and by whatever means sound learning and useful 

 knowledge are advanced, these to us are friends ;" but is the President 

 aware that, two days after he delivered his Address, there met in a 

 room of the Midland Institute, a few delegates representing the great 

 body of Science-teachers of the country, to " consider the best methods 

 of forwarding the Science Scheme of the Department," and of forming 

 an Association " for advancing the interests of Science-teaching as a 

 profession ? " 



It would be ungenerous if we were not to state frankly that we 



