MEETING OP THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION 119 



some further eloquent and appropriate remarks. Sir Thomas con- 

 cluded, amid loud cheering, by calling upon Dr. Lloyd to take the 

 chair which he vacated. 



Dr. Lloyd, on taking the chair, addressed the meeting at some 

 length. He vindicated modern science from the charge of impiety, 

 and proved that scientific investigations, so far from throwing doubt 

 on the accuracy of Revelation, tended more and more to confirm it. 

 This must always be the case, as the more we sought after the 

 truths of nature, the more illustrations and confirmations would di- 

 vine truths receive. The God of nature was the God of Revelation; 

 and science, which developed the laws of nature, could not trace any- 

 thing contrary to revelation. He repudiated the notion that the 

 cause of religion could be served by ignorance ; and observed it was 

 an exploded absurdity. Dr. Lloyd continued to expatiate, at con- 

 siderable length, upon the advantages of an Association which 

 formed a bond of union between scientific men of different countries. 

 He made several apt quotations from Bacon, and concluded by call- 

 ing on Professor Hamilton, one of the Secretaries, to present the 

 annual report. 



The learned Professor read from a paper a very diffuse and very 

 eloquent statement of the origin, progress, and completion of the 

 British Association — its objects, and the mode by which it purposed 

 to effect them, which appeared to give very general satisfaction. 



The Presidents of the sections, at the chairman's request, then read 

 abstracts of the proceedings. — Professor Sedgwick addressed the 

 meeting in an animated and effective speech. He observed that the 

 Association had now been assembled between four and five years, 

 and being possessed of a migratory character, objections had been 

 started, that the distance between the successive places of meeting 

 and the necessity of crossing the sea, might operate as a fatal check 

 to the success of the undertaking. These anticipations proved un- 

 founded, and every meeting but ])roved the increased prosperity of 

 the British Association. The professor then adverted to the muni- 

 ficence of Sir John Tobin, in bringing over the members in his 

 splendid steam vessel, and begged leave to move the thanks of the 

 meeting to that gentleman.— ^Professor Murchison seconded the mo- 

 tion, which passed amid the strongest evidences of satisfaction. 



The meeting adjourned at eleven o'clock. 



Tuesday, — At eleven o'clock all the sections again met, and closed 

 at the usual hour. 



Section A. — Mathematics and Physics. — Mr. Whewell's paper 

 was concluded. The subject was the application of mathematical 

 principles to the development of the laws of electricity and heat. — 

 Dr. AUman read an essay on the formation of the cells of plants. — 

 Mr. Snow Harris proceeded to explain his apparatus for making 

 electrical experiments, and put forward some views with regard to 

 the equable diffusion of electricity, which did not meet Mr. Whe- 

 well's approbation, upon w^hich a most interesting controversy arose 

 between these two philosophers ; Mr. Whewell proving his position 



