448 Proceedings of the British Association, 



servatory. Had it not been for that observatory, the comet of 

 Encke, at one of its late returns, would have eluded human 

 scrutiny ; since, though it was then visible in the southern, it 

 was invisible in the northern hemisphere. Had it not been for 

 that observatory, we should want several of our most important 

 elements for determining the amount of astronomical refraction ; 

 that property of our earth's atmosphere, which, changing va- 

 riously the course of light, bends the rays of Sirius here to- 

 wards our pole, but bends them there towards the other. I 

 remember well, though I was then but a young astronomer, 

 the anxiety with which my dear and illustrious predecessor in 

 the astronomical chair of Dublin awaited the arrival of those 

 Paramatta observations ; the delight with which he received 

 them, and eagerness with which he proceeded to combine them 

 with his own, and so to form that union of northern and south- 

 ern observations, which will hand down together to the re- 

 motest ages of astronomical history, the names of Brinkley and 

 of Brisbane. 



There is, however, another view of Professor WhewelPs mo- 

 tion, which my feelings will not permit me to pass by, though 

 it must have occurred to all of you, — that view in which our 

 Edinburgh President may be regarded as one of the represen- 

 tatives of the hospitality of Edinburgh. This hospitality has 

 indeed been often alluded to already, but it will bear to be 

 touched upon again ; especially if — endeavouring to rise above 

 that sense of personal obligation by which we all, all visitors 

 of Edinburgh, would feel ourselves almost oppressed, if that 

 splendid hospitality had not been as delicate as it was splendid 

 — we contemplate it for a moment in a higher view, as a sym- 

 bol of national union. This week the bond of scientific bro- 

 therhood has shewn to the world a new and striking picture — 

 has brought a new thing to pass, in the history of this Associa- 

 tion, nay more, in the history of this empire. I must not touch 

 so far upon forbidden ground as to bring to your remem- 

 brance a time which was not like this, — a time when English- 

 men and Scotchmen met, if they met at all, for other purposes, 

 and in another spirit, — a time when walls like these would 

 have rung with other shouts, with cries of national defiance, 

 with voices menacing a dire and doubtful struggle. That time 



