Sessional address of the President (Mr. Serjeant Cox), November 4th, 1875.

  • Edward William Cox
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sessional address of the President (Mr. Serjeant Cox), November 4th, 1875. 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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    yet applied to them before their existence, and still more, their extent and nature, can be accepted as the basis upon which to found scientific conclusions. Prom their very nature, and from the conditions of their manifestation, they are peculiarly liable to be the subjects for imposture by knaves and delusion by dupes. Frauds are confessedly frequent and therefore nothing can be accepted as proved that is not obtained under tests that are crucial and by evidence that is conclusive. Ask us to apply such tests and offer to us such evidence, and the Society will gladly try the truth of any asserted phenomena without prejudice and re- port of them honestly. As yet you have shown to Science nothing more than that there is something that demands patient investigation. But your very name assumes a conclusion which a society for scientific research cannot recognise. The asserted facts and phenomena will, indeed, be entitled to and will receive a fair examination in common with all other facts and phenomena relating to Psychology, and, so far as they are found to be true, will be admitted to that store-house of facts which it is the primary purpose of all scientific societies to accumulate and without which no science can be securely constructed.” Although the Society began its labours only as the season was drawing to a close, its short session of two months was fruitful in performance and still more in promise. Papers were read on “ Memory ; ” on “ The Phenomena of Sleep and Bream ;” and on “The Duality of the Mind;” and each elicited a lively and interesting discussion, in which many curious facts were narrated and much new light thrown upon the subjects of debate. Large miscellaneous audiences showed by their continued attendance and the attention paid to the speakers how extensive and profound was the interest taken by the public in the questions the Society is formed to examine ; and the session closed amid general congratulations upon the success that had attended the past and with excellent auguries for the future. [93]