99 
holidays, we have learned to conceive of them as the romantic 
essays of an imagination surcharged with the ferment of philo- 
sophical speculations and kindled to a midsummer excite- 
ment by the glow of his inward fervour. We have been more 
than once reminded of similar utterances of the philosophic 
Hamlet as he also mused upon Science and Man . — “ I have of 
late foregone all custom of exercises and it goes so heavily 
with my disposition, that this goodly frame the earth, seems 
to me a sterile promontory, this most excellent canopy the 
air, look you, this brave overhanging firmament, this majestical 
roof fretted with golden fire, why it appears no other thing to 
me, than afoul and pestilent congregation of vapours ! What 
a piece of work is man ! how noble in reason ! liow exquisite 
in faculties ! in form and moving, how express and admirable ! 
in action how like an angel ! in apprehension how like a god ! 
the beauty of the world ! the paragon of animals ! And yet, 
to me, what is this quintessence of dust ? ” 
In common with many others in this country we have not 
only admired Prof. Tyndall as a philosopher, but have been 
delighted with him as a kindly and courteons gentleman, and 
welcomed him as a friend. The friendly interest which we 
still retain for him only deepens our regret that he should have 
been misled so far as to mistake the brilliant analogies of a 
teeming imagination for the sober verities of scientific truth. 
The Chairman. — I am sure all will unite in returning thanks, both to 
the author of the paper, and to Mr. Gorman who has so ably rendered it. 
Any remarks may now be offered. 
Rev. Prebendary Row. — I do not propose to discuss this paper at length, 
but I think I may say that we cannot be too much gratified when men 
like Professor Tyndall plainly speak out their sentiments. When their 
arguments are disguised in the metaphysics with which many Germans, 
and some Englishmen, such as Herbert Spencer, have rendered us familiar, 
the controversy is raised to a height considerably beyond the level of 
ordinary minds ; but when they are brought down to the clear statements 
of Professor Tyndall much trouble is saved. If a great man of the last 
century — I allude to Dr. Johnson — could be present here to-day, there is 
little doubt but that he would have dealt with Professor Tyndall’s theories in 
a very summary manner. He would have said : “ Sir, you are talking gross 
nonsense.” In the present case we have the great advantage of having these 
things clearly placed before us, and we find that the end and object of atheistic, 
pantheistic, and agnostic philosophy, is to reduce man to a machine mentally, 
morally, and spiritually. It is of great benefit to have these things thus 
stated plainly, because there is a certain faculty called common sense against 
which this philosophy is certain to be hopelessly dashed to pieces. Sir, we 
