218 president's inaugural address. 



results to arise from turning their attention in these directions 

 than from simply working in old lines. Amongst the many 

 subjects which are not yet worked out as they might be, I may 

 mention the almost new study of Petrology,which, although still in 

 the hands of a very few observers, is rapidly becoming a subject of 

 high interest and importance ; the spectroscope also offers a wide 

 and promising field ; and the value of the microscope, as applied to 

 commercial considerations, is hardly yet recognised. These are 

 branches affording great promise, and there are very few persons 

 who give attention to them. It may be said that ours is not a 

 Club in which such researches are expected, and that its use is 

 rather for the purpose of training and raising up microscopists, 

 and then drafting them off to other bodies where work of this 

 kind is more exhaustively carried out. There is some truth in this, 

 and it is to the credit of the Club that it can be truly said, and that 

 we can point to so many in other societies whose work in micro- 

 scopy was commenced in the QuekettClub. It is true that there 

 is a natural tendency among our older members to become engrossed 

 in other and more learned societies, but it is also true that we have 

 still amongst us a great many earnest workers, and that the best 

 men still find it to be to their pleasure and their interest to remain 

 amongst us, for it is by steady progress that men are able truly to 

 advance, whether they occupy the place of simple students or that 

 of teachers or investigators. It is, however, desirable to the 

 greatest possible extent, that, in order to counterbalance the 

 inevitable loss of older members, those of younger standing should 

 be encouraged to come forward and to communicate to the meetings 

 the results of their observations. I have noticed that there seems 

 to be a great amount of hesitation on their part in this respect, and 

 no doubt it is an awkward thing to come forward and to read one's 

 first paper. It is said that Frenchmen are killed by ridicule ; but 

 however true that may be, I believe that practically Englishmen 

 are more afraid of it. Let me urge our younger members to put 

 such feelings on one side, and to give their fellows the benefit of 

 their experiences without fear of being laughed at. For my own part 

 I can only say that, during my period of office, my most earnest 

 desire will be that I may have the assistance of the younger 

 members at the meetings, and if I can induce them to do some- 

 thing more than collect slides, it will not be necessary for me again 

 to announce, as I am forced to do to-night, that at this meeting of 

 the Club there is not any paper. 



