179 
forward with a number of theories which apparently are incompatible with 
the truth of that which we believe, and which the majority of the civilized 
world has believed for many centuries — when a number of men come forward 
with theories of this kind, apparently in contradiction of the received truths, 
we feel ourselves entitled to sift very closely what they produce, and to see 
whether their conclusions will bear the test of examination ; (Hear, and 
cheers) or whether they are the results of an imagination heated and kindled 
by the discovery of progressive facts in physical science, which very often 
from their novelty, from the wonderful insight they give you into the opera- 
tions of nature, dazzle the minds of those who first discovered them ; whether 
these things are really so soundly established as they pretend to be, or 
whether they are only the results of rather too hasty conclusions. (Hear, 
hear.) I believe the philosophical world has of late been somewhat startled 
by the coruscations that have emanated from certain philosophers, who seem 
to have departed from the path of calm investigation and induction based upon 
a large examination of particulars leading to definite conclusions, and to have 
been content to launch the hasty theories that are naturally suggested by new 
discoveries, but which have not been fully investigated. It seems to me that 
we have come back, as it were, to those brilliant theorists of the old world, 
who were content to imagine how things might be, rather than how they 
were ascertained to be. They used to say that everything that was light 
must ascend, everything that was hot must burn, and they had a number of 
other general maxims upon which they built large conclusions. I met with 
a specimen of this kind of reasoning the other day in an old work, which in my 
early days was read with great interest, and obtained for many years a great 
reputation as a scientific work. I allude to Burnett’s “ Theories of the Earth.” 
There is given in that work a beautiful description of how the earth might 
have been put together, but not based upon any evidence as to how it was 
put together. It is a beautiful book, written in glowing language, and dis- 
playing a large fertility of imagination well fitted for men of modern times, 
judging from some of the magnificent orations we have seen upon certain 
theories as to the mysteries of creation, which seem to be rather going back 
than forward, and quitting the calm paths of induction for older methods of 
reasoning, which misled our less scientific ancestors. I think that it is our 
business to investigate the theories that are propounded, whether they be 
connected with metaphysics or physics ; to look at them calmly, and to see 
if they necessarily lead to those conclusions which their propounders would 
have us to draw. I do not think anything can be more valuable than the 
spirit of a Society engaging in this work. It is a constant check upon those 
hasty inferences which dazzle very much, and which, while they dazzle, they 
blind, especially the senses of younger men, and particularly women, who, 
when they see a theory proposed by a man of eminent name, of high personal 
character and great scientific knowledge, take it for granted at once that it 
must be true. (Hear, hear.) Unless there were some means set at work to 
test the truth of these theories as they appear, they would have a much wider 
influence than they now have. This duty of investigating I believe to be our 
