UNPHILOSOPHICAL PHILOSOPHY. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 85, 7 October 1889, Page 4

UNPHILOSOPHICAL PHILOSOPHY. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir— ln a recent iaano you published a roport of a meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Socioty, at which an interesting and, in aorao respeots. instructive discussion took placo on tho rabbit question, ono of the speakers being Sir James Hoctor. As ono of tho roumrks given utterance to by that learned savant is characterised by asagaoity oven more profound than usually distinguishes tho deliverances of one whoso claim to bo regarded as "tho philosopher among philosophers" is universally conceded, I think it should not bo allowed to pass without further notice Commenting on tho fact alleged by several speakers, that bunny, for some cauee or another, did not thrive intho Wnnganni and Rangitikei districts, Sir James Hector sagely observed that that was doubtlona owing to tho Maori dogs being deficient in knowledge of tho medical scionco of their European convenors, and consequently communicating a disease to which dogs are liable to poor bunny with disastrous results. Now, it is characteristic of the wise that their toaohing is not only of tho essence of wisdom in itself, but that it is caloulatod to awaken inquiry and stimulate reflection in other mind*, and this latter quality Sir James Hector's remark possesses in an unusual degree ; for how is it possible for one to rofrain from inquiring how and by what means tho suggested possible lack of knowledgo of tho Maori dog of the medical science of his European brother was made to oporuto on our long-eared friend. Can it be that bunny, wakeful and observant as he notoriously is, had becomo cognisant of thia d ficicnt knowledge of tho Maori dog, and so, to avoid tho living death induoed by disease, had himsolf J»erformod " the happy despatch ?" Or is it .possible that, with a spirit of self-abnegation laokingin tho generality of mankind, bunny, to avoid tho decimation of his race by cruel oontagions disease, abstained from the pleasures incidental to the propagation of tho specioß ? Or, again, is it possible that, always liable to oxtremo attacks of palpitation of the heart, tho mere possibility entering his mind that the Maori dog might not be acquainted with the results of tho European dogs' researches into the science of modioino, and so disseminate disease among the rabbit species, actually induced attaoks of the dreadod diseasos* as similar fears are known to do among tho human species? Then, on the supposition contained in this latost question, might it not bo possible to fix with approximate correctness the _ date at whioh tho rabbit began to diminish in numbors in the districts reforred to. It is only reasonable to supposo that an idea so profound as this one of Sir James Hector's must be tho result of long and profound reflection, and it is hardly likely that he gave it to the world immediately it was conceived. Then, as great miuds often simultaneously conceive great thoughts, may it not be that tho entering of the thought into the mind of bunny was coincident with the evolution of tho same thought in the mind of tho learnod aavant ? And, most important of all, may it not bo that all that is wanted to Bottlo the rabbit nuisance once and for ever is that Sir James Hectoi 's remarks should be read in the hearing of the rabbits in tho districts whore thoy are now too numerous ? In faot, sir, there is no end to the enquiry oponed up by the remark made by Sir .Tamos Heotor with such an entire absence of that oonsoious superiority that is supposed to characterise nion eminent in the walks of philosophy. I am. &0., Verb. Sap. 4th Octobor, 1889.