Proceedings of the British Association. 449 



indeed has long passed, never to return. England and Scot- 

 land are not now two countries, distinct, independent, and hos- 

 tile ; they have been long one glorious nation, at unity within 

 itself, impregnable to the world beside. Yet, is it not a new 

 and touching sight, this festival of love, this solemn offering of 

 concord, this crowding of the invited might of England into 

 the metropolis of Scotland, this interchange not of peaceful 

 courtesy alone, but of zealous friendship, this active and ardent 

 cooperation in one high common cause ? We, too,^the repre- 

 sentatives of Ireland, have joyfully responded to the call, and 

 gladly gathered in this beautiful and ancient capital, and with 

 ungrudging hearts have seen it take precedency of our own 

 in the great work of hospitality to science, though in that 

 work we long to bear a part. And when we find our birth- 

 place, and its institutions, and its efforts for science, so held in 

 honour and regard, as your resolution to visit it has testified, we 

 feel a joyful and exciting hope that the reception which you 

 will let us give to you in Dublin, even more (if that be possi- 

 ble) than the reception which you have given to us in Edin- 

 burgh, shall symbolise and mark a more embracing unity, a close 

 and triple bond, and tend to make us «// in. heart and mind one 

 people. 



Professor Sedgwick, in proposing the thanks of the Associa- 

 tion to M. Arago and the other distinguished strangers who 

 had visited them, made some pertinent and eloquent remarks 

 upon the advantages of science in smoothing the prejudices of 

 different nations, and linking together learned men of all coun- 

 tries, and paid a high compliment to the merits of M. Arago. 



The Lord Chancellor rose, to second the motion. After apo- 

 logising for not sooner appearing at the meetings of the Associa- 

 tion, which he said was attributable to accident, he remarked 

 that he understood he owed the honour of seconding the motion 

 of his reverend and learned friend to the circumstance — one of 

 the proudest in his life — that he was a member of the National 

 Institute of France. It had been often remarked, that war was 

 a game, at which, if the people wete wise, governments would 

 not often play ; and he might add, that in encouraging and fos- 

 tering the exertions of men of science, who were of no party, 



