3-24-39 JA gt-wenly fib 3-7-39 TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, K.G., PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. MY DEAR LORD DUKE, In dedicating, by kind permission, this work to your Grace, I desire to give expression to feelings of both esteem and gratitude. I desire to express my esteem for one whose beneficent career has long practically exemplified the precepts of sound philosophy, and my gratitude for that kindness which has enabled me to enjoy the charm of a retreat so considerately selected in harmony with my tastes and wishes. With much respect, I am, My dear Lord Duke, Yours most sincerely, ST. GEORGE MIVART. HURSTCOTE, CHILWORTH, Whitsunday, May 20, 1888. PREFACE. IN the following pages the author has sought to place at the disposal of his readers as brief and plain an account as he could render of the results at which he has arrived in a life's pursuit of truth. He has purposely avoided controversy as much as possible; not even having referred to world-renowned philosophers, whose systems have, nevertheless, much occupied his thoughts, and even for a time gained his assent. He has acted thus partly because controversies which relate to the most important questions treated of here have been dealt with by him in other works, but mainly because he is convinced that it is not by negative criticism, but by synthetic construction alone, that the most useful scientific work can now be done. The author presents this volume to the public partly in the hope that his effort may make some slight contribution towards such building up of a solid temple of truth, but with a much stronger wish that it may impel other men, better gifted or more advantageously circumstanced, to further develop and more effectively express the truths herein presented. |