ON THE RELATION OF BOTANY TO SCIENCE IN GENERAL. 299 



In ancient Egypt specialization was carried so far, it is said, that 

 it was a criminal offence for the ear doctor to treat the throat ; yet 

 deafness has often a throat origin. 



There are hopeful signs of broadening in science. The modern 

 engineer needs to be very widely trained ; radio-activity demands an 

 extended knowledge; wireless telegraphy, and flight, depend on a 

 wide range of principles. Still, I feel it is upon botany that we must 

 depend for broad and basic generalizations. Recently attention has 

 been called to the coal mines of Spitzbergen, and our Antarctic ex- 

 plorers found coal in several places in their wanderings. How came 

 coal in such cold quarters ? Have we any intelligible theory of the 

 ice ages, or any clear comprehension of why the seasons should differ 

 so much in any given place from year to year ? Why is it that for 

 years there is scarcely any ice on the Thames, and another year it 

 may be frozen over so hard that a dray may pass ? Fertile suggestions 

 to account for all these peculiarities are offered, dependent on abso- 

 lutely definite astronomical, physical and geological facts ; but there 

 is no scientific organization to attempt to correlate them. A flaw is 

 found, and certain facts fail to agree with the theory, and the whole 

 idea is thrown on one side ; yet often the addition of one fact more 

 would make the matter clear. 



The whole of cosmic phenomena is correlated in nature — possibly 

 a change of climate depends on floating ice, the amount of floating 

 ice may depend on gigantic earthquake waves, the amount of the ice 

 at the Poles may depend on an altered eccentricity of the Earth's 

 orbit, or upon a change in the inclination of the Earth's axis. We 

 have two theories, Croll's and Grayson's. Grayson's theory, taken 

 alone, is quite insufficient. Yet these two theories, taken together, 

 show how every climatic fact revealed by botanical and zoological 

 remains might be accounted for. 



In addition to the lack of interest in subjects outside their own, 

 there is often a feeling of absolute hostility. When the physicist Bose 

 applied his knowledge to botanical facts, he was for twelve years so 

 ostracized that, he tells us, his life was a long tragedy. 



There is no doubt that this neglect of correlation has extremely 

 wide-reaching effects in philosophic thought, and that the whole 

 trend of human affairs would be altered and vitally improved if 

 basic principles were more thoroughly understood. The theory of the 

 dissipation of energy has had a most depressing effect upon human 

 thought, and yet it is almost certain that it is not of cosmic application. 

 The physical possibility of the eternal life of the cosmos is believed 

 to be demonstrated, but it depends on so many nice points, in so many 

 sciences, that it is not yet commonly accepted. 



For over forty years the dismal doctrine of eternal death has been 

 clearly shown to have no basis in fact. This pessimistic doctrine has 

 influenced the theory of evolution, and given a wrong trend to the 

 doctrine of human ascent, which it is believed is dependent on 

 the persistence of the fittest fighter. The latest researches seem to 



VOL. XLV. X 



