131 



last page of the paper which requires careful consideration, and it would have 

 been desirable if we could have discussed some of these points separately, 

 instead of having to run over a large amount of human knowledge in a single 

 evening. 



Dr. M'Cann. — As the different speakers have, for the most part, agreed 

 with my paper more or less, there is not much for me to reply to. Most of 

 them have referred to its wide scope. My answer is that the fault is 

 necessitated by the subject treated of. It is affirmed that almost every- 

 thing is force — that matter is force, mind is force, morals are force, and 

 spirit is force ; and therefore if everything be force, while treating of force I 

 am compelled to speak of everything. One speaker mentioned a want of 

 admiration for the results of science as conspicuous in my paper. If it be 

 supposed that I am not an admirer of the researches and results of science 

 because I do not give more prominence to my views in regard thereto, I 

 have only to regret that such a conclusion should have been arrived at. I 

 would here refer my audience to a note which I have added to section 33 of 

 my paper, where I say : — 



" While we are compelled to differ from Dr. Tyndall on these theoretic 

 points, we would express our unqualified admiration of his great abilities as 

 an experimenter, and our sincere gratitude to him for making known the 

 results of his investigations, in language so beautiful, clear, and precise as to 

 captivate while he instructs, and win students to the study of Nature, who, 

 but for him, might have gone to the grave caring nothing for God, and less 

 for His works." 



I would ad^, that I yield to no man in my admiration for science and its 

 results ; only I did not wish to go into matters that were not absolutely 

 necessary in preparing a paper, which I think you will say is quite long 

 enough. The term " energy," to which the first speaker referred, is, I think, 

 an unfortunate one, and I do not see the necessity for it ; because when we 

 use it we mean motion. The word " motion " conveys a distinct idea ; whereas 

 the term " energy " does not. When the first speaker referred to the " con- 

 servation of energy," and the " persistence of force," I told him that I simply 

 meant, that the necessary qualities or powers of matter were always there. 

 Force is the power to produce motion : that is the definition I give of the 

 term. 



The Chairman. — But not in a mental sense ? 



Dr. M'Cann. — The origin of the idea of the power to produce motion is 

 from original consciousness. The same speaker rather objected to my quota- 

 tion respecting Professor Huxley in reference to jelly guiding physical forces, 

 and he went on to argue that organized matter, or protoplasm, guided forces 

 in the same manner as a mould guided the tallow of which a candle is made. 

 If that is all, I do not think there is much guiding in the matter : the first 

 and principal guide in that case is the hand that makes the mould, and that 

 done, the matter must fill the mould according to the form the mould gives it. 

 What has been said about dead and living forces I think I may pass over. 

 With regard to what has been stated about the moral aspect of the question, 



