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Now the story of that bone has gone all over Europe aud America, as a 
testimony to the antiquity of man ; but when you have men like these calmly 
and nobly acknowledging that so much has been assumed in their statements 
and arguments, I think we may say r that great good has been done, and it is 
such societies as this which have brought it about. Before the meeting 
closed, Professor Boyd Dawkins not only said that the bone was not human, 
but he gave reasons for believing it to be the tibia of a bear. I think that in 
the Geological Society, the Anthropological Society, and in all other scientific 
societies, we shall hear no more of the existence of man previous to the pre- 
glacial period, at all events until further evidence is brought forward. 
The resolution was then agreed to. 
The Chairman. — Upon this last resolution I will trouble you with a word 
of thanks. I have been pretty constant in my attendance at the meetings of 
the Council of the Institute, and I may, perhaps, respond for all those who 
are honoured with your confidence as holding office in the Institute. The 
labour we engage in is a labour of love, for we hold it to be the duty of every 
person who believes to contend for his faith ; aud certainly it is the duty of 
every member of this Institute to work as hard as he possibly can for the 
maintenance of the Institute and its very noble object. Our work is a labour 
of love, because we all enjoy these discussions, and the making of the neces- 
sary arrangements for them once a fortnight ; and, indeed, we all feel much 
obliged to you for permitting us to be your officers, especially as you not only 
honour us with that permission, but are also pleased to express your confidence 
in our conduct. I am sure that, on behalf of my brother officers and myself, 
I may return to you our sincere thanks. 
Mr. J. E. Howard, E.E.S., then read the following address : — 
INFLUENCE OF TRUE AND FALSE PHILOSOPHY 
ON THE FORMATION OF CHARACTER. 
Having been asked to deliver the Annual Address, I have 
resolved to bring before you some considerations resulting 
from a rather long and varied experience as to the diver- 
sified influence of True and False Philosophy in the formation 
of character ; a subject worthy the attention of an Institute 
pledged “ to investigate fully and impartially the most im- 
portant questions of Philosophy and Science/'’ 
I shall put in my plea for the Christian faith, as the alone 
foundation on which to rear the superstructure of a truly use- 
ful education ; aud I shall distinguish between “ Divine Philo- 
sophy/’ which is, indeed, as Milton has said, “ a perpetual 
feast of nectared sweets/’ and the Secular Philosophy of the 
day, which is rather to be described as “ love of error ” than 
as “ love of truth,” aud which is an unfailing source of inter- 
minable mischief. 
