president's address. 639 



wander into the more interesting field of generalisation or theoretic 

 speculation. Tims we cannot expect to have around us more 

 than the few who have mastered the language of Science, or who 

 have gone far enough with observation to appreciate the careful 

 investigations of others. It is to be regretted that the number 

 of these is so few. But we hope to see a growing taste for these 

 pursuits, and there is evidence of it. There are few men who do 

 not share the regret of Thomas Carlisle, who, in one of his works, 

 plaintively exclaims : — " For many years it has been one of my 

 constant regrets that no schoolmaster of mine had a knowledge 

 of Natural History, so far, at least, as to have taught me the 

 grasses that grow by the wayside, and the little winged or wing- 

 less neighbours that are continually meeting me with salutation 

 that I cannot answer as things are." Even a moderate knowledge 

 of Natural History makes nature such a living book that all the 

 pleasures of the mind become manifoldly increased. The learned 

 J. Stuart Mill, when philosophy had landed him upon a cold dull 

 Pyrrhonism, said that once curiosity was satisfied life was not 

 worth having. Had he been a little of a Naturalist I think he 

 would scarcely have felt this, for curiosity is never satisfied in 

 this domain of knowledge. Each step in advance increases the 

 prospect of fields beautiful and new, and the voice of nature is 

 ever living. To use the idea of Macaulay, we ma}^ say it is a 

 philosophy which never rests. '^ That which was in the distance 

 yesterday is its goal to-daj^, and will be its starting-place to- 

 morrow." 



The retrospect over the progress of our little Society brings me 

 to a subject which forces itself very much upon my mind on this 

 occasion, and that is the general progress of scientific investigation 

 in the Australian Colonies within the last few 3'ears. The time 

 has not yet come when anything like a history of our advancement 

 in this respect can be attempted. AYe can, however, make 

 comparisons which will show us how original thought and 

 investigation have gone on amongst us. Australia has had 



