ART. 86 - Address to the Mathematical and Physical Science Section of the British Association

Summary

In common with some of my predecessors in this chair, I recognise that probably the most useful form which a presidential address could take, would be a summary of the progress of physics, or of some important branch of physics, during recent years. But the difficulties of such a task are considerable, and I do not feel myself equal to grappling with them. The few remarks which I have to offer are of a general, I fear it may be thought of a commonplace character. All I can hope is that they may have the effect of leading us into a frame of mind suitable for the work that lies before us.

The diversity of the subjects which come under our notice in this section, as well as of the methods by which alone they can be adequately dealt with, although a sign of the importance of our work, is a source of considerable difficulty in the conduct of it. From the almost inevitable specialisation of modern science, it has come about that much that is familiar to one member of our section is unintelligible to another, and that details whose importance is obvious to the one fail altogether to rouse any interest in the mind of the other. I must appeal to the authors of papers to bear this difficulty in mind, and to confine within moderate limits their discussion of points of less general interest.