Lecture.

Otago Witness, Issue 1422, 22 February 1879, Page 8

Lecture.

MR BRIGHT'S FAREWELL LECTURE.

Mr Charles Bright dolivered his farewell lecture ia Dunedin on Sund&j evening last, at the Princesß Thea-t-e. The Hon. E. Stout presided, and the theatre was crowded The Buhject of the lecture was " Evolution : Its Processes and Possibilities." Mr Bright said that Evolution in its broad signification comprehended the natural sj sem of creation as opposed to the supernatural or miraculous. la effect, it left the inner mystery of creation just as impenetrable as ever, while affording a grand insight into its material processes. What the lw of gravitation had beea to the student of inorganic matter, the law of evolution was becoming to the student of biology. It enabled the facts of life, botanical sni zoological, to be focussed, as it were; brought them within the range of natural law. Through its agency the system of nature cou d be regarded as monistic— a unity, but a unity which clearly betokened the operation of the divine mind. So far from being an atheistic system, it was grandly godly ; but its deity was not an anthropomorphic God, but one infinite and incouprehensible. By it the immanence of deity was shown everywhere, and in the words of David Hume " the whole chorus of nature raises one hymn to the praise of the Creator." The account of creation in Genesis supplied no information, inasmuch as we could not conceive of a beginning to time, nor of God's mode of working, save as we discerned it in nature. There had been in the past many prophets of Evolution. Among these mii>ht bo named the author of the 139 th Psalm, Democritus, Aristotle, Bruno (burned 17th February, 1600). Qoethe, and Lamarck. It was, however, the surpassing merit of Darwin to have tnsed the theory on facts— to show how it operated in Drscent and Natural Selection. The idea of Nature developing through the survival of the fittest in the struggle for existence, gave a new meaning to its otherwise harsh and cruel facts. No winder there was a burst of enthusiastic applause at the meeting of the British As ociitlon in August last, when Mr Romanes declared "in all the history of science there is no single name worthy of a veneration more profound than the now immortal name of Charles Darwin." After leferring to some of the experiments and observations of Darwin, Wallace, and Haeckel, the lecturer pointed out that they were conclusive as to the transmutation of species, and rendered the theory of the immutability of species no longer tenable. Tho generalisations of Evolution in regard to the formation of worlds from primeval fire-mists having been referred to, Spencer's theories relative to social evolution were rapidly sketched. The speculations of evolutionists regarding the growth of a moral sense in primitive men, and the consequent possibility of sin, with all thereby implied, were described, and the spiritual outcome of the theory in further existences under superior conditions of environment dwelt upon. The latter phase of evolution, like all problems of nature, was simply a question of evidence, which could only be gained by those who were compelled to devote a part of their lives to a study of the subject. Whethf r these existences would be infinite in duration or not was more than we could tell. We could know tiothinß of infinitude. AH we could study was the finite, which began and ended in the unknown. At the. conclusion of the lecture, The Chairman Baid he was there that evening for the purpose of making a presentation to Mr Bright That ptesentation consisted of a purse containing £91 12«, which had been subscribed by persons who had profited from Mr Bright's lectures during the past two years or so. Anyone who ventured to address the people on religious and philosophical subjects, untrammelled by creeds, must always expect to meet wiihsome kind of persecution. He was glad, however, that a spirit of tolerance existed in this community and that Mr B ight's lecture? had been attended with such a marked succes3. He hoped that that would not bo the last Frccthought lecture Mr Bright would deliver in Dunedin.— (Cheers.) He had that day received a poem from a lady who had attended Mr Bright's lectures. It wai doiicated to Mr Bright, and he hoppd it wou'd be published, ne had very great pleasure in presenting Mr Bright with the purae of sovereigns.— (Loud chrers.) Mr Bright, in acknowledging tho gift, said he had had no intimation th*t the presautation would be such aa it was. He most heartily thanked those who had contributed towards it, and he trusted he might be worthy of all ihi kindness he had received from h's friends in Dnnedin. Ho hoped that after he had travel ed— as be wished to do— through America and England, he would bo oble to return to Dunedin, and if not settle here pei intently, at least remain here for some yearn— (Chee s ) He wa? specially thankful to Mr Stout that evening for having came forward most nobly to back him (Mr Bright) up in the uiuso he advocated, in spite cf the hon. gontleman'd high position.— (Loud cheers.) A vota of thanks having been accorded to the Chairman, the proceedings terminated. "EoaEMA, Eugenia, will you still iusisfc on weaving tbe hair of another "woman upon your head?" "Alphonoe, Alphonse, do you still insist upon wearing tho skin of another cait upon your feet ?"