4 
Victoria Institute, I beg leave to state briefly tbe principal considerations 
which influenced the Council in arriving at this determination. 
In the first place it was considered that the paper, though not devoid of 
interest and importance, put forward nothing very conclusive in elucida- 
tion of its subject-matter ; and the discussion was involved in difficulties 
which were unavoidable, more especially in the unexplained absence of 
the author of the paper from the adjourned discussion. I may observe 
that the main thesis of the paper was intended to show that the. sphere 
of Divine Providence was rather exercised in directing the combinations 
of the invariable laws of Nature, which affect and interact upon one 
another, than in interfering with these invariable laws themselves. The 
argument was, in fact, shadowed forth in Professor Kirk’s , paper on The 
Relation of Metaphysical and Physical Science to the Christian Doctrine of 
Prayer * in which he drew the distinction between the laws of Nature and 
the usages of Nature, a distinction the importance of which was noticed by 
Mr. Greig in discussing Professor Kirk’s paper, but which was, perhaps, 
unduly pressed in his own essay. 
I may add that the Bye-Laws of the Institute provide for the contingency 
of papers being read which the Council may deem it inexpedient to publish.T 
And upon the present occasion, after the Council had decided against the 
publication of Mr. Greig’s paper, he was offered the use of the type as set 
up, upon very favourable terms, if he desired to publish the paper himself 
In reply he wrote declining this offer, “ as he did not intend to publish the 
paper in its present incomplete state.” This decision of Mr. Greig may 
therefore be regarded as confirmatory of that of the Council. 
By Order, J. Ed. 
* Journal of Transactions , Vol. II. p. 217, et seq. 
f Bye-Laws, Journal of Transactions of Viet . Inst., Vol. I. App. p. 483. 
