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Science and the making of VictoriaRoyal Society of Victoria
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Inaugural and Anniversary Addresses of the Royal Society

Inaugural Address, delivered by Mr. Justice Barry, President of the Institute, at the Opening Converzazione, 22nd Sept., 1854

Inaugural Address of the President, Captain Clarke, R. E., Surveyor-General, &c., &c.

Anniversary Address of the President, the Honourable Andrew Clarke, Captain R. E., M.P., Surveyor-General of Victoria, &c., &c., &c.

Anniversary Address of the President, His Honor Sir William Foster Stawell, Knight, Chief Justice of Victoria, &c., &c. [Delivered to the Members of the Institute, 12th April, 1858]

Anniversary Address of the President, Ferdinand Mueller, Esq., Ph.D., M.D. F.R.G. and L.S., &c., &c. [Delivered to the Members of the Institute, 28th March, 1859]

Address of the President, Ferdinand Mueller, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.G. & L.S., &c., &c. [Delivered to the Members of the Institute at the Inauguration of the Hall, January 23rd, 1860.]

Inaugural Address of the President, His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, K.C.B., &c., &c. [Delivered to the Members of the Royal Society, at the Anniversary Meeting held on the 10th April, 1860.]

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Inaugural Address of the President, His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, K.C.B., &c., &c.
[Delivered to the Members of the Royal Society, at the Anniversary Meeting held on the 10th April, 1860.] (continued)


Such dogmatic half-knowledge, such pretension to superior wisdom, have long since vanished before the more general diffusion of education, and the humility inspired by a wider acquaintance with the boundless realms open to scientific research; and we find in their stead that our scientific men are anxious and painstaking inquirers after the truth, careful recorders of the facts their own special study may reveal.

Another class of doubters as to the utility of the Royal Society's operations will be found in those who style themselves "par excellence" practical men.

Very little consideration should show these, howeverm how enormously they benefit by the progress of scientific discovery, how ungratefully they too often appropriate its results with scarcely an acknowledgement.

Let any one who denies this read a pamphlet lately circulated, setting forth the claims of the Reverend Mr. Clarke, of New South Wales, in connection with the opening up of the mineral riches of Australia, wherein is clearly shown how valuable was this gentleman's geological skill in directing the first miners aright; how little even of the poor guerdon of thanks he has reveives from those who rushed afterwards to profit by his lessons.

Or to cite a less familiar instance. Look at one of the greatest boons conferred on all in these Colonies—the shortening of the voyage between them and the Mother Country. Is this due, as might naturally be inferred, to the practical navigator? Was it effected by chance or rule of thumb? On the contrary, the credit belongs almost solely to Lieutenant Maury, of the United States Observatory at Washington, by means of whose Wind and Current Charts, in which the laborious records of innumerable voyages are compiled, the average passage to Australia was almost immediately reduced from 124 to 97 days. I might allude, if time allowed, to the Electric Telegraph, and more especially to the Submarine Cable, inventions which could never have extended their incalculable blessings to our very shores, had the Science of Electricity not been brought to its present advanced state by the labors and experiments of unremembered and unrewarded savans; but I proceed to a third class of objectors to the study of Natural Philosophy, more difficult to deal with still, because their objections are founded on a vague though conscientious apprehension that it leads to scepticism in matters of religious belief.

The scruple is not new. It once extended even to the study of the bible itself. Bacon found occasion to write—"Let no man, upon a weak conceit of sobriety, or an ill-applied moderation, think to maintain that a man can search too far, or be too well studied in the Book of God's Words, or in the Book of God's Works; but rather let him endeavor at endless progress and proficience in both." Yet, though silenced two centuries ago, it has of late, in consequence of the unexpected revelations of modern science, partially revived, and, if not often openly urged, creates strong prejudice against the speculations of Geology, Astronomy, and other inductive pursuits, in the minds of many sincere Christians.


People in Bright Sparcs - Clarke, William Branwhite

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