570 Proceedings of the British Association. 



enough, and if he concluded here by expressing his gratitude 

 for past honours, it might be as well. But he hoped they 

 would not think he was needlessly clinging to that Chair, if 

 he still detained them for a few moments longer, by touch- 

 ing on one or two topics connected with the Institution. He 

 begged, then, to congratulate them on their increasing numbers. 

 Even were it to be supposed that motives of vanity had brought 

 many of them together, yet under that view there was reason 

 to rejoice that the public feeling was with them ; for unless 

 they had the public sympathy, it was impossible, even for a 

 philosophical body, to go on with success. The professor 

 then proceeded to advert to the original institution of this As- 

 sociation ; which, he said, had been started by a set of inde- 

 pendent men, with the best intentions, and with the most so- 

 ber views of future good and of the success of their scheme, 

 hardly knowing what constitution to give it, and never dream- 

 ing of the glorious success which it had now obtained. The 

 first meeting had been held at York ; the second at Oxford, 

 where a large accession of numbers was experienced ; the third 

 at Cambridge, where the numbers still further increased ; and 

 now it had reached the Scottish capital, where an addition had 

 been made to their number beyond all precedent. He then 

 went on to remark on the many circumstances connected with 

 this city, which tended to endear it to himself and others, — es- 

 pecially that of its having given birth to so many illustrious 

 philosophers, men who had investigated the obscurest relations 

 of physical science, and disentangled its phenomena. 



The learned Professor then proceeded to expatiate on the ad- 

 vantages of an association of this nature. On his way hither 

 he had the good fortune to meet with M. Arago, the perpe- 

 tual Secretary of the French Institute, and Dr Vlastos from 

 Greece. M. Arago, in the departments which he had culti- 

 vated, was inferior to none in Europe. To meet' with men like 

 these, — to breathe the same atmosphere,— to partake of the 

 same sentiments, and enjoy their conversation and their friend- 

 ship, were enough to justify the institution of that Associa- 

 tion, were there no other advantages. But there were many 

 other circumstances which pointed out the use of these associa- 

 tions, among which was the power of combination. How 

 feeble and how powerless was man when alohie ; and. Oil the 



