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PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS, 



Delivered at the Annual Meeting, July 27th, 1877. 



Gentlemen, — When I began to consider on what subject I 

 should speak to you this evening, I became more than ever con- 

 scious that in the many admirable addresses of my predecessors in 

 the chair, all the leading subjects have been appropriated, and that 

 it becomes increasingly difficult year by year for the President to 

 find a topic on which he may usefully descant. 



The machinery of our Club is in such excellent order, and its 

 work goes on so evenly and smoothly, that we are almost uncon- 

 scious of the lapse of time until each successive annual meeting 

 reminds us that another year has passed away. I think, therefore, 

 that, as an artist stands back from his easel to obtain a better view 

 of the general effect of his work, we, as a body of friends associated 

 together in a favourite study, and desiring improvement, may advan- 

 tageously pause, at the conclusion of another session, to consider the 

 use we have made of our opportunities, and to review our position 

 as a club of microscopists. 



Looking at the first page of the " Microscopic Journal," com- 

 menced thirty-six years ago (in 1841), and edited by Daniel Cooper, 

 I find the first words there printed as follows : — " As microscopic 

 research," says the Editor, " is for the most part an amusement 

 rather than a profession, it cannot be a matter of surprise that man}' 

 resort to it as a means of intellectual pastime which is sure to 

 terminate in beneficial results. General knowledge may be acquired 

 by observation — recondite science by application alone ; and the 

 existence of the former in the mind of the apparent tyro, by industry 

 and perseverance, imperceptibly produces the latter." After this he 

 proceeds to summarise the progress of microscopical science in 

 England for the preceding fifteen years, and as this just completes 

 half a century to the present time, I turned to his remarks to sse if 



