The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 582, 12 November 1851, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fear not: Let all the ends thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 12, 1851.

Amidst the bustle of the business which has its element in buying and selling and its end in getting gain, and the conflicts of political strifes, it is refreshing to turn aside even for a little to such contemplations as those suggested by Sir George Grey's Address to the recently instituted " New Zealand Society," to which we made a passing reference in a former issue, and which we this day transfer in full to our columns. Its tone of calm and hopeful philosophy is calculated to exercise an influence at once tranquillizing and elevating ; and its ■well-reasoned and eloquent appeals are well fitted to attain the object which the Speaker had in view, by stimulating the intelligence of the colony to efforts for the advancement of knowledge ; — efforts which, without interfering unduly with any other pursuit, may at once prove a source of pure gratification to those who engage in them, and operate with no contemptible measure of efficacy in enlarging the boundaries of science, or at least of enriching its already possessed domain with contributions not the less acceptable or valuable because brought from afar, — even from these ends of the eartli which, up to a very recent period, were deemed indeed the antipodes of civilization, and of all the intellectual acquisitions which accompany its reign. The Association before which His Excellency, as its first President, delivered this Address, has been organized for the cultivation of information respecting the New Zealand Group, as respects its physical character, its natural history, resources, and capabilities, and the history, language, poetry, customs, and traditions of the Native inhabitants ; including <he formation of a museum and library, and the occasional publication of such results of these investigations as may be deemed of importance to merit such a mode of record. There is here a wide field, containing tracks sufficiently numerous and distinct — though all converging to a common centre — to suit the * aste and employ the talents of men of the most v aried educational tendencies, the most diversifi ed circumstances and opportunities throughout the classes of which our community is composed. Some illustrations of its extensiveness are given in the Address, and others will readily present themselves to every observant and thoughtful mind. There is not one of the paths indicated in the summary we have just giyen of the objects of the Society which does not hold out to him who shall diligently explore it the .prospect of a rich recompense in lhe acquisition of truth.

It being undeniable that this is so, t v ie question arises, Have we in the different districts of the colony men qualified to carry forward scientific research with any probability of such success as would render their labours of real value to the republic of knowledge? Sir George Grey ably combats the objection implied in this question, by arguing that, however inferior the learning of most of our colonists may be to that of many of the illustrious men who adorn the scientific circles of Eutope, yet those men are even in their eminence, circumscribed as yet within limits, narrow as compared with the boundless expanse of undiscovered truths, and aie willing to acknowledge that they are so,— (like Sir Isaac Newton, when, with the humility that ever characterizes real philosophy, he said a little before his death, " I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me,")— that, in such a spirit, they would thankfully receive any increment of knowledge however small, or from whatever quarter it may arrive;— and that, such is our ignorance at the best, that we cannot be sure that we estimate rightly the actual value of any particle of truth which comes into our possession, — cannot, for instance, be sure that some apparently trifling observation made in this new country may not prove to the learned of Europe of the highest importance and interest, — the link, small but essential, to complete some chain of hitherto imperfect though anxiously elaborated research, We would follow out these arguments of His Excellency by remarking that we actually have in our colony very many who have, to say the least,scienti fie information enough toenal>lethem to seek so as to obtain more. Few of them may be qualified to group together multitudes of individual facts to construct from them compact systematic generalizations in doctrinal science. But we do not want theory -builders ; —there are quite enough, if not too many, of them in the world already. We rather desire to see observers ; — patient, honest, truth-loving collectors of facts. Now, observations of great practical worth may be made without hindrance to business, and without much of either cost or toil. If we only learn " how to observe," and habituate ourselves to the task, we may find pleasurable and profitable employment at almost every step. In a journey through the country, in a visit to a mountain or a cave, in a walk by the sea-shore, in a saunter through a garden, notable fact 3 to observe will present themselves in almost endless variety. Dr. Aiken's well known story of ** Eyes and No Eyes', or the Art of Seeing," has its lesson for every age and class. How true is it that " one man walks through the world with his eyes open, and another with them shut ; and upon this difference depends all the superioritory of knowledge the one acquires above the other." Viewing the two boys in the dialogue as representatives of the observing and the non-ob-serving classes respectively, the concluding counsel is universally applicable, "Do you, then, William, continue to make use of your eyes ; and you, Robert, learn that eyes were given you to use." We have no intention, however, to obtrude upon our readers a homily on tins duty ; we have been led into these comments merely by our desire that the Address which we publish should be read with the attention to which its merits entitle it. The "New Zealand Society" may or may not prosper in its organized character ; we should hope that it will, founded as it is under the immediate and fostering care of a President who can confer upon it the joint benefits derivable from official patronage and from his personal qualifications for the advancement of its objects, and endowed as it is, at its commencement, with a liberal grant from the Revenue. But whatever may be the progress or the ultimate destiny of the Society, good will be accomplished if the minds of those in our town and country districts who are, it may be feared, too constantly and too harrassingly engaged in the pursuit of less dignified, though in their own places, necessary objects, be turned in some measure to cultivate those fields of research which New Zealand presents, — for the pure gratification of collecting from the land of their adoption materials to adorn the temple of Knowledge— offerings to lay upon the altar of scientific Truth.

We invite attention to the announcement of the New Ulster Agricultural and Horticultural Society's Annual Exhibition of Flowers and Fruits, which is to take place on Saturday next, and which, should the weather in the meantime prove favourable, will, we anticipate, present some cheering evidences not only of the luxuriant richness of our soil and the fertilizing powers of our fine climate, but also of the advance made in horticultural and floricultural skill and industry in this immediate district. In order to its being a fair representation, however, of what has actually been done in those departments there should be a willingness on the part of all who have taken an interest in them, to come forward of their own accord in aid of the Show, by contributing to it whatever is best worthy of notice in their respective gardens. We observe that the Society solicit " the most general contribution," extending their request not only over bouquets and floral devices, and rarieties in bulbs and shrubs, but to fruits, flowers, and vegetables of all kinds in season. We trust that their request will be so responded to as to encourage the Society in its career of usefulness, and afford a stimulus to friendly competition afterwards, as well as an hour's agreeable recreation, to the visitors at the Show.

Wesleyan College. — The Annual Examination of the Pupils at this Institution took place yesterday. We regret that the pressure of other duties prevented our being personally present, but we have received from several distinct and disinterested sources accounts of the proceedings which are of the most satisfactory character. There -was a large assembly of the friends of Education, including the Colonial Secretart, the Colonial Treasurer, the Attorney-Gen-eral, Captain Cockraft (Private Secretary), W. Gisboenk, Esq., W. Young, Esq., and other gentlemen, with a considerable number of ladies. The examination of the pupils was conducted chiefly by the Ptev. J. H. Fletcher (Principal of the Seminary), the Rev. J Ingms also taking part. The answering, we are informed, was generally so prompt and correct as to afford the fullest evidence of the care and ability with which the scholars had been instructed, and of their understanding of what they had learned. The crotchet

netting, and general fancy work executed by the young ladies \mder the superintendence of Miss Fletcher was— as we are assured on authority which we dare not dispute on such a matter — really beautiful, (while we are informed that the useful tasks of the needle, as distinguished from what is merely chiefly ornamental, which, valuable every where, are of especial importance in colonial life, had also been diligently and successfully at tended to) ;— and the whole passed off in a manner highly cheering to those who desire the educational advancement of the colony. The Rev. Mr. Hamer (Independent Minister lately arrived in this town) delhered a brief but appropriate address to the pupils, and the Rev. A. Macdonaxd concluded the proceedings with prayer.

Mechanics' Institute.— On Monday evening a Lecture on the Origin of the Art ofgPrinting was delivered in the Hall of this Institution, by Mr. A. W. Hansard. The Lecturer commenced with an account of the various symbolical modes in which information was communicated in ancient times, and pi-oeeeded step by step down to the discovery of the Art of Printing by moveable types as now practised, and its introduction into England,— presenting a view of the subject which was full of instruction, and conveyed in a clear and interesting form. William Swainson, Esq., President of the Institute, occupied the Chair on the occasion.