Address delivered at the anniversary meeting of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, January 22nd, 1884, on the aims and prospects of the study of anthropology / by W.H. Flower.

  • William Henry Flower
Date:
1884
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Address delivered at the anniversary meeting of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, January 22nd, 1884, on the aims and prospects of the study of anthropology / by W.H. Flower. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    0* SU] Address delivered at the 21 OCT & mivcrsary Meeting of the Anthropo- logical Institute of Gr$a\Britain and/mand, January 22nd, 1884, on the Aims and^^SEESJSS^Ae Study of Anthro- pology. By Professor^4^FLOWEK, LL.D., F.B.S., President. Those who are present at this meeting need scarcely be reminded of the importance of the subject which is our common bond of union, that which is defined in the prospectus of the Institute as the promotion of the science of mankind by the accumulation of observations bearing on man's past history and present state in all parts of the globe. But those present are a very small fraction indeed of the persons in this country to whom this great subject is, or should be in some one or other of its various divisions, a matter of deep interest, and as it is possible that the words which it is my privilege and duty as your President to address to you on this occasion may be read by some who are not yet so much con- versant with the aims of anthropology and the means for its cultivation which this Institute affords as those who have taken the trouble to come here this evening, I hope that you will pardon me if I bring before you some general considerations, perhaps familiar to all of you, regarding the scope and value of the science the advancement of which we have at heart. One of the great difficulties with regard to making anthro- pology a special subject of study, and devoting a special organi- sation to its promotion, is the multifarious nature of the branches of knowledge comprehended under the title. This very ambition, which endeavours to include such an extensive range of knowledge, ramifying in all directions, illustrating and receiving light from so many other sciences, appears often to overleap itself and give a looseness and indefinitcness to a