THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.
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information in the many varied departments of natural history and
archaeology is so imperfect, that we cannot, without instruction,
follow out observations, or seize upon those points of interest which
the localities visited may possess. We have often been accompanied
by some well-informed specialist, or men with pre-eminent local
knowledge, to call the attention of members to noteworthy objects
and to interpret natural phenomena, but while trudging along roads
and lanes and across fields and through woods, it is impossible for
our conductors or directors to be equally communicative to all, and
they certainly have no time for original observation or research.
Although we have had, on many occasions, excellent demonstrators
and teachers, I fancy that this want of general instruction has been
felt by the major portion of the company. As a "Conductor," I
have felt the difficulty myself; I know that good work was done on
the occasion of a meeting I had the honour to conduct, but not
altogether when the bulk of the members were present. Many cir-
cumstances, some over which we had no control, contributed to this.
In order that this difficulty may, to a certain extent, be overcome,
and that our Field Meetings may be productive of the best results, I
trust that a very few general remarks that occur to me on the general
habits of observation may be appreciated by many of our members.
I wish these excursions to be such that something may be learned
from them by all, and that by individual effort of those present, our
published report may often be the means of adding considerably to
the information that could previously be gathered together for a
more or less attractive programme.
In his first anniversary address, Prof. Meldola told us Prof.
Huxley was never tired of insisting that science is but organized
common sense. Huxley's exact words are :—
'' Anyone who looks into the matter attentively will soon perceive that there is
no solid foundation for the belief that the realm of science is thus shut off from
that of common sense ; or that the mode of investigation which yields such won-
derful results to the scientific investigator, is different in kind from that which is
employed for the commonest purposes of every day existence. Common sense is
science exactly in so far as it fulfils the ideal of common sense ; that is, sees facts
as they are, or, at any rate, without the distortion of prejudice, and reasons from
them in accordance with the dictates of sound judgment. And science is simply
common sense at its best; that is, rigidly accurate in observation, and merciless
to fallacy in logic." 2
Now common sense is not a trait in which any of our members
would like to own themselves deficient, and hence why should they
2 "The Crayfish," pp. 1, 2.