TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM. 



133 



mystery of why the earth is a great " lodestone or magnet at 

 all, and why its magnetism is subject to changes so profound, 

 in a period which, to the geologist at least, is but brief. Difficult 

 as the problem may seem, we cannot but believe that in this, 

 as in matters of greater and deeper import, honest and patient 

 enquiry will in time find the solution. Happy is the man to 

 whom it falls, first of his race, to think one — even the least — 

 of " God's thoughts after Him.'' 



Discussion* 



The Chairman asked leave to tell once again the familiar story 

 of Faraday. A visitor to his laboratory once asked : " What is the 

 use of all these things ? " to which he gave the immortal reply : 

 " What is the use of a baby ? " " These things,"— the electric 

 batteries, the coils and cables — have now become part of our life. 

 It is interesting to see how long the baby, which has been the subject 

 of Dr. Chapman's address, took to grow. It began with Thales, 

 2500 years ago ; the next step was taken in the Middle Ages ; 

 to-day we have its practical application to navigation and to all 

 our electrical appliances. 



This is typical of the other physical sciences. They appeal 

 to two different classes of people ; one class asked : "To what use 

 can we turn it ? "; the other class, which appealed more to his own 

 mind, consisted of those who tried to explain what they saw. But 

 this word " explain " is not appropriate, since men of science cannot 

 " explain " an}i:hing, but they can only place observed facts in 

 their right relationship to one another. 



In the particular subject to which Dr. Chapman had called their 

 attention, a connection had been traced between movements of 

 the magnetic needle and the condition of the sun as shown by 

 sunspots. Dr. Chapman had given more time and thought than 

 most men to this subject, and the task of extracting the kernel of 

 truth from a great mass of facts had fallen largely to his share. He 

 (the Chairman) had great pleasure in proposing a hearty vote of 

 thanks to Dr. Chapman for his address, and would call upon 

 Mr. Maunder to second it. 



Mr. E. Walter Maunder said that, with the Chairman's 



