382 Proceedings of the British Association for 1850. 



administration, and the patriotic feelings which made them 

 take from their own avocations so much time and labour to 

 devote to public objects, then I felt more than ever I had 

 done before, that you are the natives of a great and noble 

 country — tliat this is not a common nation, and that such 

 results can be experienced in no other portion of the world, 

 nor often in this empire is this phenomenon to be found. And 

 why ? That was to me a matter of deep thought. What 

 was the system — what were the circumstances that made it 

 possible that from the bosom of society could be taken, as it 

 were indiscriminately, a body of men capable of such achieve- 

 ments as these ? In the answer. Sir, I found the source of 

 the nation's glory and the nation's power. Hold by that 

 source, and your nation's glory and power shall never pass 

 away. Pursue, as you have ever done, knowledge in all its 

 branches, inspired from the heart by a love for such pursuits 

 of knowledge, and guided, as it has been till now, by a deep, 

 profound, and all-pervading sense of religion. Join these 

 two, and Scotland will never fail to be a great nation, and 

 shall go on increasing in glory to the end of time, — (great 

 applause.) 



Professor Phillips moved the thanks of the meeting to Pro- 

 fessors Kelland and Balfour, Mr James Tod, the local secre- 

 taries, and to Mr Brand, the local treasurer, from whose 

 exertions, in a great measure, the meeting had passed off 

 with a degree of harmony and satisfaction, which, he was 

 sure, would prove an ample recompense for their labours. 



Professor Kelland returned thanks. 



The Presidents Concluding Address. 

 Sir David Brewster then said, — In closing the twentieth 

 meeting of the British Association, I must congratulate you 

 on the great success which has attended it. In order that a 

 meeting for the advancement of science may be a successful 

 one, many circumstances must concur. When the attendance 

 is numerous, as on the present occasion, we obtain the pecu- 

 niary means of carrying on new investigations, in which, from 

 their expense, philosophers cannot be expected to embark. 

 In this way science is directly promoted, and new paths of 

 research are opened up and made accessible to humble and 



