BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 27 



look with surprise, and, I may add, with gratification, at a meeting so 

 large, (and in this country too,) from which politics are altogether 

 excluded. Here he will see no angiy conflict of passions, none of that 

 feeling of bitterness and animosity, which never fails to attend the 

 contests between man and man, between different classes in the same 

 country, or between different nations : all proceeding from the same 

 cause, or nearly so — a struggle for power ; in other words, a struggle 

 for dominion over man, and through him over the material things of 

 this world. But in such a contest, what is gained on one side must be 

 lost on the other. Here, on the contrary, however much may be 

 gained, tliere can be no loss to any one. This is no pamdox ; for here 

 the object of the contest is to increase man's knowledge, and with it 

 at once his power over the material things of this world. It isplain» 

 therefore, that in the objects we have in view, all have an equal interest ; 

 that the contest we are engaged in is one of friendly rivalry, all com- 

 peting in their efforts to promote that knowledge, that science, which 

 has been given to us as the reward of industry, and by which the gifts 

 of a bountiful Providence may be increased and improved, for the 

 benefit of man, to an extent almost unlimited." 



After calling the attention of the meeting ^o the reports and other 

 documents of the Society, shewing what the Association had already 

 effected, he said, " However it appears to me that — without presup- 

 posing any knowledge whatever of these matters, or of the past history 

 of this Society — without assuming that it has in any one instance 

 effected, by joint co-operation, important and laborious researches in 

 the cause of science, still that, even to a person who will not take the 

 trouble of enquiring and informing himself — an answer to the question. 

 Does the Association advance science ? may be returned, short but 

 conclusive. The answer I should give would be this: I appeal to the 

 experience of every man at all conversant with the history of science, 

 and with the working of scientific societies, whether it is not an indis- 

 putable fact, proved by experience, that all such societies, when pro- 

 perly conducted, are powerfully instrumental in promoting the advance 

 of science. 



" It may, perhaps, be worth while to inquire for a moment in what 

 way the associations of scientific men promote science. There are 

 many and very obvious ways in which they do so. I shall mention 



