REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
315 
(Cornish Bros., 1887), that he had caught the spirit of the master. 
The following powerful lines from the poem indicated a thorough 
sympathy with the Doctrine of Evolution : 
“ Yet take heart; 
“ For the eternal power who sowed the seed 
“ Of all things, hath ordained that hate shall tire, 
“ And love grow ever stronger.” 
It was gratifying to record that efforts were being made, as had been 
previously announced to the Section, to establish societies for the study 
of Mr. Spencer’s system of philosophy, both in Derby and Paris. We 
wished Mr. L. Archbutt, in the former, and Mons. James Grosclande, 
C.E., in the latter city, every success. The only cloud that at 
present hung over his admirers was the sad state of Mr. Spencer’s 
health, which prevented him from pursuing the object of his life 
—the completion of the synthetic philosophy. All his friends 
would cordially concur with the members of the section in sincerely 
wishing him improved health and strength. His was a most precious 
life, and one that we all earnestly hoped might be prolonged.— 
Thursday, November 3rd. Tea was served in the Society’s room at 
5 30, and at the meeting afterwards, the chair being taken by the 
President, Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., the first part of a paper on Mr. 
Herbert Spencer’s essay on the Classification of the Sciences, was read 
by Mr. F. J. Cullis. After showing the impossibility of arranging the 
sciences in one lineal series, an explanation was given of Mr. Spencer’s 
primary grouping of the sciences under the three denominations of 
“Abstract Sciences,” “Abstract Concrete Sciences,” and “Concrete 
Sciences.” The “Abstract Sciences,” Mathematics and Logic, 
were seen to deal with relations ; the “ Abstract Concrete Sciences,” 
Mechanics, Physics, and Chemistry, with properties, and the “ Concrete 
Sciences,” Astronomy, Geology, Biology, Psychology and Sociology, with 
aggregates. Leaving the “Abstract Sciences” as farthest removed 
from the special work of the Section, it was seen that a fundamental 
difference again appears in the fact that the “ Abstract Concrete 
Sciences ” are essentially analytical; while the “ Concrete Sciences ” 
are mainly synthetical. It was further argued that this great group of 
sciences thus distinctly differentiated—both by their object, the study 
of phenomena in their totalities, and also by their method of com¬ 
parison, classification, and synthesis—is most fitly denominated 
Natural History ; and thus these “ Concrete Sciences ” both constitute 
and limit the special sphere for the work of a Natural History 
Society.— Biological Section. Meeting, November 8.—Mr. R. W. 
Chase in the chair. On the motion of Prof. Hillhouse, President of 
the Society, seconded by Mr. R. W. Chase, President of the Section, 
the meeting of the Section was adjourned, with a resolution expressive 
of the great loss the Society, the Biological Section in particular, had 
sustained in the death, on the previous day, of Mr. Thomas Bolton, 
F.R.M.S., curator of the Society, and conveying the earnest sympathy 
of the meeting to his widow and family. —Geological Section. Meeting, 
November 15.—Mr. W. P. Marshall, M.I.C.E., took the chair in the 
unavoidable absence of Mr. Waller. A paper by Mr. William Pumphrey 
on “The recent Disaster at Lake Zug,” was read by his brother, Mr. 
Clias. Pumphrey. The paper was illustrated by a photograph and 
ground plan. Exhibits:—Mr. W. H. Wilkinson, (1) Dried flowers 
showing the colours (eight or nine colours, including blue) successfully 
preserved; (2) Double autumn crocus, Golchicum autumnale. Mr. W. B. 
Grove, (L) Agaricus phalloides from Coleshill Pool; (2) Poh/porus radiatus 
on alder from Sutton. —Sociological Section. Thursday, November 
17tli.—Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., in the chair. After tea, which was 
served at 5 30, the concluding portion of the paper on Mr. Spencer’s essay 
on the Classification of the Sciences, was read by Mr. F. J. Cullis. It 
