Second Report of the British Association. 457 



present state of various branches of science, together with an ac- 

 count of the proceedings of the general meetings of the Associa- 

 tion, and of the transactions of its different sections. Of a volume 

 whose contents are so multifarious, it will be impossible to give an 

 adequate account within the compass of a review ; we shall there- 

 fore confine ourselves to an enumeration of them, — brief characters 

 of such of the Reports as the late period of its publication has al- 

 lowed us to peruse, — and a few extracts on points of peculiar or 

 present importance. 



The Second Report commences with a sketch of the proceedings 

 of the General Meeting of the Association at Oxford in 1832, which 

 is followed, in succession, by the proceedings of the General Com- 

 mittee at that time (including a list of the Officers of the Associa- 

 tion,) the Recommendations of the several Committees, and the 

 " Transactions." Appended to the Recommendations of the Com- 

 mittee for Chemistry, &c. is a list of Isomorphous Substances drawn 

 up by Professor Miller, forming a very valuable contribution, at 

 the present aera of the discussion on isomorphism, which seems to 

 assume a more important aspect every day, in proportion to the 

 attention bestowed upon it, and the increasing collision of opposite 

 opinions. 



The Transactions of the Association commence with a " Report," 

 by Professor Airy, tl on the progress of Astronomy during the pre- 

 sent century," which we cannot but regard as forming, in every 

 point of view, one of the most valuable parts of the volume. It is 

 observed in the Preface, by the Officers of the Association who have 

 taken the laborious duty of Editors, that " the want of better in- 

 formation respecting the recent advances and actual state of our 

 knowledge has long been felt in every department of inquiry ; and 

 the influence which the Association has been able to exercise, in 

 procuring the supply of this desideratum, may be judged of from 

 the declaration of the Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge, who 

 stated at the late Meeting that no inducement but that of such a 

 solicitation as he had received could have impelled him to under- 

 take the task which, in the following pages, he has fulfilled. The 

 ability and industry which have thus been enlisted in rendering a 

 laborious and responsible service to science, prove the efficacy of 

 a system of public invitation in giving incitement and direction to 

 the energies of individuals, and show the existence of a public spirit 

 entirely in accordance with the designs of the Institution." 



Prof. Airy's Report extends through sixty-five closely printed 

 pages ,• and is arranged under the following principal heads : 



" I. A short general history of institutions and periodical publications. II. An 

 account of some of the instruments principally in use. III. A statement of 

 the improvements in the catalogues of fundamental stars, including the dis- 

 cussions of the various corrections. IV. An account of the more extended 

 star-catalogues, with the tables for facilitating the corrections. V. Notices 

 upon the measures of double stars, the observations of nebulae, &o. VI. An 

 account of the principal observations, tables, &c. of the Sun and Moon, the 

 old planets and their satellites. VII. History of the new planets and peri- 

 odical comets : and of comets generallv. VIII. Account of measures whose 

 Third Series. Vol. 2. No. 12. June 1833. 3 N 



