Excerpt from Introductory Lecture Delivered to the Students of the Natural History Class in the University of Edinburgh on the Opening of the Winter Session 1855 The framing of an introductory lecture is no easy task. It is expected that such a lecture must deal with generalities; and yet the generalities of science are not so varied but that they must have been already over and over again worked up in similar attempts. Perhaps, however, I cannot do better on this occasion than point out to you the nature and bearings of the subjects with which the present course is to be occupied, and the plan which it is my intention to pursue in their treat ment. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.