The record-union., 1892-08-26
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.
Additions to knowledge Being Made
Every Day.
Address of fhe Lord High Chancellor
of England at the Victoria
Institute.
Especial Correspondence REcoRD-US1oS.1

/ tlECORD-UN1ON.l
LONDON, Aug. l, 1892.
The Lord Chancellor of England deliv-
cred the annual address of the Victoria
Institute early in August before one of
the largest London gatherings of the
year. In the absence of the President,
Sir George Stokes, V. 2. r. S., the chair
was taken by one of the Vice Presidents,
| Sir Joseph Fayrer, K. c. S. l., f. r. S.
Among those present were the Lord
Chancellor, the Count della Rochetta, Sir
HI. Barkly, X. c. b.. f. r. S.; Sir Fred
erick Young, X. G. NJ. G.; Sir G..
| Buchanan, +. r. S.; the Rev. DIR. WAGE,
Principal of Kings College,; Professor
Hull, +. r. S.; Professor Seeley, f. r. s.;
General Copeland Crawford, Surgeon
General Gordon, c. B.; Admiral Grant,
G. B., and others.
| The primary objects of this society,
| whose house at Adelphi Terrace, London,
! is well-known, are:
l. To associate men of science for the
purpose OF investigating fully and impair
TALLY the most important questions of
philosophy and science, but more especi-
| ally those that bear upon the great truths
revealed in Holy Scripture.
2. To consider the mutual bearings of
the various conclusions arrived at in the
several distinct branches into which sci
ence is now divided, in order to get rid of
contradictions and conflicting hypothe-
ses, and thus promote the real advance
ment of true science; and to examine and
discuss all supposed scientific results
with reference to final causes, and the
| more comprehensive and fundamental
principles Of philosophy proper, based
upon faith in the existence of one Eternal
| All-Wise God.
The report read by the Honorary Sec
rotary, Captain f. Petre, showed that the
total number of members and associates
| now reached ,450, of whom one-third re-
sided in the colonies and foreign lands,
and at this time of the year application
for admission to the Institutes list were
constantly arising. The subjects consid-
cred, all chosen for their usefulness. in
cluded learned and exhaustive analysis
of the philosophy of Islamism; the
Master of DoWulng'S valuable researches
in regard to reflex action and Volition as
affecting the question of human respon-
sibility; Professor Demands analysis of
the philosophical value of the arguments
from design; the inquiries by Professors
Geikie, Seeley, Rupert Jones, Blake, Sir
w. Dawson, Mr.. Mello, and the United
States Government biologists into the
Glacial epoch as affecting the question of
the age of man: the investigations of
J. w. Slater and others as regards the
difficulties involved in the doctrine of
natural selection; Sir Charles Wilson's
report of his surveys in Syria in connec-
ton with its future water supply; Count
de Hulsts Egyptian investigations, and
the Investigations of Sir Joseph tayrer
ard many other medical men as regards
poisonous reptiles within the tropics.
The Lord Chancellor, who was cordi-
ally received, then delivered the annual
address. He said that his task was rem
dered more easy by the fact that he was
not a specialist dealing with a particular
subject. He was there not as teacher,
but rather as a student and an average
auditor, to say something of the work and
the methods of the Victoria Institute
He was not altogether unfamiliar with
the process of considering the weight of
evidence, and had been taught by some
experience to listen to both SIDES The
Investigations upon which the Institute
entered were both thorough and indie
pendent. Other avocations had hitherto
prevented him from taking much part
in them himself, but ne knew that the
various subjects brought under review
had been fully and freely discussed. 1t
was one of the supreme advantages of
such a method that 10 refuge could be
found Tor confused thought in words of
learned length, or in what he might call
the slang of the schools Since the famous
protest in 1866 less had been heard of all
scientific men giving up the Bible, but
quiet assumption that they were had
been allowed to run through certain
kind of literature.
1t had become the fashion to deal with
every subject as if nothing were abso-
lutely true or absolutely false. As long
as such words as subjective or "ob-
jective'' were recognized as the L and u
of an algebraic problem, and had no
meaning in themselves, they might be
accepted as convenient words for the pur-
pose intended by the calculator; but their
use had unfortunately become such as 10
mislead There We're, however, such
things as truth and falsehood. prospect
i've of what people thought or said. TO
some everything seemed yellow; but
were things yellow for that reason? That
there were degrees of proof from demon
stration to slight balance of probability
would not justify the term proof" and
one had perpetually to be on guard against
the allegation that a thing was proved
because there was some evidence in its
favor. He would not proceed, though he