PKESIDEXT S ADDRESS. 5 



Secretaiy and Eegistrar of the Pvecords, in the year 1837. In 

 the year 1857, Miss Emmeline Susan Deas Thomson, Sir Edward's 

 second daughter, was married to Mr. William Macleay, who with 

 his cousin, Mr. W. S. Macleay, arrived in Sydney in 1839. 



Lady Macleay is sincerely mourned by a large circle of relatives 

 and intimate friends; and by many whose sorrows and needs 

 were lightened by her sympathy and help. Since her death, the 

 old home, which for so long a period was almost uninterruptedly 

 in the occupation of one oi* another member of the Macleay 

 family, has been given up. Many memories of interest to scien- 

 titic men cling about Elizabeth Bay House. It is difficult to 

 ascertain with certainty the names of distinguished visitors or of 

 others who were there welcomed as guests, but the list would 

 certainly, or very probably, include Dr. George Bennett (before 

 he became a resident), John Gould, Captain Fitzroy and Charles 

 Darwin, Thomas Henry Huxley, Joseph Hooker, Robert Lowe 

 (afterwards Viscount Sherbrooke), the officers or naturalists of 

 various British and foreign Expeditions, Wj^ville Thomson, Henr}^ 

 N. Moseley and their colleagues, of the 'Challenger' Expedition. 



Some New Light on the Society's Earliest History. 



On the present occasion, and in a special manner, the turn of 

 events once more directs the attention of the Society to a subject 

 of two-fold interest — Sir William Macleay in relation to this 

 Society, and also in his relation to the greater matter of Science, 

 and its promotion. 



In the fulfilment of his desire to advance science, Sir William 

 Macleay made this Societ}^, in its day, the chief medium through 

 which he elected to work and act during his life-time; and upon 

 it, accordingly, have now devolved in their entirety the responsible 

 duties of acting as his chief trustee in scientific matters. And yet, 

 notwithstanding his close connection with the foundation and early 

 management of the Society, hitherto it has not been possible to 

 find documentary evidence as to what actually transpired before 

 the Society became fully Hedged and held its first meeting for 

 the reading of papers and for other scientific business, on January 



