notice. These societies do not consider it any part of their corporate functions to undertake or conduct research.

"But whatever may be the disposition of individuals to conduct researches at their own cost, the advancement of modern science requires investigations and observations extending over areas so large, and periods so long, that the means and lives of nations are alone commensurate with them.

"Hence the progress of scientific research must in a great measure depend upon the aid of Governments. As a nation, we ought to take our share of the current scientific work of the world. Much of this work has always been voluntarily undertaken by individuals, and it is not desirable that Government should supersede such efforts; but it is bound to assume that large portion of the national duty, which individuals do not attempt to perform, or cannot satisfactorily accomplish."

The sentences which I have now read are the preamble and the basis of the conclusions to which the Commissioners unanimously These conclusions are as follows:

came.

1. "The assistance given by the State in this country for the promotion of scientific research is inadequate; and it does not appear that the concession or refusal of assistance takes place upon sufficiently well-defined principles."

2. "More complete means are urgently required for scientific investigations, in connection with certain Government departments. Physical as well as other laboratories and apparatus for such investigations ought to be provided."

3. "Important classes of phenomena relating to physical meteorology, and to terrestrial and astronomical physics, require observations of such a character, that they cannot be advantageously carried on otherwise than under the direction of the Government."

4. "Whilst national collections of natural history are accessible to private investigators, it is desirable that they should be made still more useful for purposes of research than they are at present. We would now express the opinion that corresponding aid ought to be afforded to persons engaged in important physical and chemical investigations; and that, whenever practicable, such persons should be allowed access, under proper limitations, to such laboratories as may be established or aided by the State."

5. "It has been the practice to restrict grants of money made to private investigators for purposes of research, to the expenditure actually incurred by them. We think that such grants might be considerably increased. We are also of opinion, that the restriction to which we have referred, however desirable as a general rule, should not be maintained in all cases, but that, under certain circumstances and with proper safeguards, investigators should be remunerated for their time and labour."

6. "The grant of L.1000 administered by the Royal Society, has contributed greatly to the promotion of research, and the amount of this grant may with advantage be considerably increased."

"In the case of researches which involve, and are of sufficient importance to deserve, exceptional expenditure, direct grants, in addition to the annual grant made to the Royal Society, should be made in aid of the investigations."

7. "The proper allocation of funds for research; the establishment and extension of laboratories and observatories; and generally, the advancement of science, and the promotion of scientific instruction as an essential part of public education, would be most effectually dealt with, by a Ministry of Science and Education, and we consider the creation of such a ministry of primary importance."

8. "The various departments of the Government have from time to time referred scientific questions to the Council of the Royal Society for its advice. We believe that the work of a Minister of Science, even if aided by a well-organised scientific staff, and also the work of the other departments, would be materially assisted, if they were able to obtain, in all cases of exceptional importance or difficulty, the advice of a Council representing the scientific knowledge of the nation."

9. "This Council should represent the chief scientific bodies in the United Kingdom. With this view, its composition need not differ very greatly from that of the present Government Grant Committee of the Royal Society. It might consist of men of science selected by the Council of the Royal Society, together with representatives of other important scientific societies, and a certain number of persons nominated by the Govenment."

Such, gentlemen, are the conclusions and recommendations of these Royal Commissioners on a subject deeply interesting not only

to all scientific bodies, and men of science in this country, but to the nation at large. The Commissioners are men eminently qualified by social position, by enlightened knowledge, and by a thorough investigation of the subject, to pronounce an opinion, and I feel very confident that when their report comes before Parliament, their conclusions will be accepted, the organisation recommended by them agreed to, and the necessary supplies ungrudgingly voted.

I have, before concluding, only one other point to mention. No. great measure, whether political or educational, can be adopted in this country by the Government, or even by Parliament, which has not obtained previously the general assent of the community. Now it is a gratifying circumstance, that during the last few months, many distinguished men, good judges of public opinion, and who also themselves influence public opinion, have recently taken occasion to advert to the question of scientific instruction. I have already mentioned the names of His Royal Highness Prince Leopold and his Grace the Duke of Marlborough. It so happens that the same page of the "Times" newspaper, of the 12th Nov., which reports what they said, gives speeches in the same direction by Sir Alexander Cockburn, Lord Chief-Justice of England, and by Mr Gladstone, the ex-Premier. Going back a few weeks, I find speeches by the Duke of Devonshire, the Marquis of Hartington, the Earl of Derby, the Marquis of Ripon, Lord Winmanleigh, Lord Frederick Cavendish, Sir Stafford Northcote, the Right Hon. Lyon Playfair, and Mr Bell, M.P. for Hartlepool, one of our most extensive and intelligent iron-masters.

These names I mention to show that the great landowners of the country, and also many distinguished statesmen, are responding heartily to the appeal made to them by our manufacturers and merchants, who feel that their own interests, and the continued prosperity of the country in trade and commerce, require institutions which will give to their sons, and also to the working classes, a more technical education than they have hitherto received. With such combined action, who can doubt that an immense impetus will be given both to scientific teaching and to scientific research? Wonderful indeed have been the discoveries during the last half century, even with the scanty appliances which men of science

have hitherto had at their command. These discoveries, the Lord Chief-Justice Cockburn said, "perfectly overwhelmed him with astonishment," and as the Royal Commissioners said, may justly invoke national pride, that so many of them should be due to the unaided efforts of individuals. What, then, may we look forward to in the next half century, with the additional appliances which these Commissioners recommend?

But, perhaps, here a word of caution, even from so humble an adviser as myself, may be allowed. Lord Chief-Justice Cockburn, on the occasion to which I have referred, says "No one bows with a more profound and reverent worship at the shrine of science than I do. No one values more than I do classical attainments. Nevertheless, allow me to say, that I know of no study more valuable to an Englishman than the study of English. Nothing is more valuable than the power of English composition, English oratory, and English elocution; and greatly as I value classical knowledge, and the knowledge of foreign languages, I still say, that the English language and English composition are of the first importance to Englishmen." These remarks he followed up by announcing his wish to give a prize of twenty guineas annually for a piece of English composition.

Much to the same purpose, our distinguished colleague Mr Lyon Playfair, when assisting the other day to inaugurate the Science College at Leeds, expressed a hope that the institution would not be confined to science, but would embrace letters and the arts.

These views suggest one danger to be avoided by those who are anxious to establish colleges and schools for scientific teaching. The country, willing as it undoubtedly is to supply deficiencies in this respect, will certainly not agree that a knowledge of science shall be all that a well-educated Englishman or Scotchman ought to possess.

But there is another danger, and one more serious. Mr Gladstone, when distributing the prizes of the science and art classes at Greenwich, three weeks ago, made these impressive remarks:"Whatever I may think of the pursuits of industry and science, and of the triumphs and glories of art, I do not mention any one of these things as the great specific for alleviating the sorrows of

human life, and meeting the evils which deface the world. I believe firmly in science and art, for their own purposes. I believe in their reality, their efficacy, and their value; I believe they are efficacious and valuable for the purposes for which they are ordained, but not for purposes for which they were not ordained. If I am asked what is the remedy for the deeper sorrows of the human heart-what a man should chiefly look to in his progress through life, with which to sustain him under trials nd affliction-I must point to something very different, to something which in a well-known hymn is called the old, old story.' It is this 'old, old story, told in a good old book, with the teaching to be found there, which is the greatest and best gift ever given to mankind, a gift carrying with it and imposing upon all alike, the most solemn trusts and responsibility, because arousing the fullest recollections of the past and the brightest hopes of the future. I venture upon this observation for myself, lest, in speaking of the immense value which is to be attached to the subjects with which we are dealing to-night, it should be supposed I was setting them up as having some exclusive right to allegiance upon your minds and hearts, or, at any rate, a right paramount to every other."

I much fear that this warning of the ex-Premier is needed. I fear it may be said, not merely of men of science, but of others also, that they often allow their hearts and minds to be so occupied -so engrossed with pursuits and studies, as to leave no room for other things which should find a place there also.

Men of science have sometimes been charged, not merely with allowing their minds to be too much engrossed in this way, but with conceit and arrogance, engendered by the consciousness of possessing wisdom above the great bulk of their countrymen. The true man of science, is fairly amenable to no such charge. So far from possessing that "pride, and arrogance, and froward mouth," which is condemned in the good old book referred to by Mr Gladstone, he is, and at all events should be, the reverse of all this; whatever amount of knowledge he acquires, whatever the discoveries he achieves, no one sees so clearly the immensity of what still remains to be discovered. Even in our own planet, how little do we yet know of the composition of the earth's interior, how

for