110 THE president's ADDRESS. 



There is an old fable of a man who, dying, bequeathed his field 

 to his sons, and told them that if they would but dig diligently 

 they would find great treasure. The sons dug diligently — they 

 found no hoard of gold as they expected, but the well dug field 

 produced an abundant harvest. Thus the sons reaped the rewards, 

 and acquired the habit, of persevering industry. 



So the young microscopist may begin his researches, expecting 

 to make some brilliant discovery. He may utterly fail to do so. 

 And yet his work, if honest work, will not have been thrown away. 

 He will have learnt much. He will have gained much that he did 

 not seek — perhaps something more truly valuable than that which 

 his first ambitious thought suggested. We cannot all of us be 

 Queketts, Carpenters, or Beales, but every one of us can do some- 

 thing — we can advance ourselves, and we can help those 

 around us. And if what I have said be true, everyone 

 who works well with his microscope during such oppor- 

 tunities as he may have, cannot fail to become in more 

 senses than one " a wiser and better man." He will learn to 

 use his eyes and his hands ; his faculties of observation will be edu- 

 cated ; he will learn to interpret correctly what he sees ; he will 

 learn that fancies are not to be trusted, and that though the ima- 

 gination may suggest, it can never justly take the place of observa- 

 tion ; he will practice himself in patience ; he will have ever ready 

 at command an unlimited supply of objects, which can never fail at 

 once to stimulate and to feed his interest, wonder, and deepest 

 admiration. 



And now, gentlemen, it only remains for me to express my sense 

 of our very great obligations to the gentlemen of our Committee 

 and of our several Sub-Committees, and especially to our indefati- 

 gable Secretary, Mr. Bywater. The thanks of all of us are due to 

 these gentlemen for the able manner in which they have fulfilled 

 their duties. My thanks are especially due to them for the un- 

 varying consideration, and courtesy, and kindly feeling they have 

 always been so ready to display in our mutual intercourse. 



Gentlemen, I thank you all most sincerely for the patience and 

 attention with which you have hstened to me this evening. 



