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PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 

 By the Rev. W. H. Dallinger, D.Sc, LL.D., F.R.S., F.R.M.S., 



ETC. 

 (Delivered February 17 th, 1893.) 



Gentlemen, — The rapid movement of time brings ns to the 

 close of the fourth year in which, by your courtesy, I have 

 occupied the position of your President. It has been in every 

 sense a pleasant period, and to preside from time to time over 

 your meetings, enriched as they have been by monographs and 

 papers evincing quiet and unostentatious sincerity, and the 

 following discussions, showing acuteness and search for truth, 

 has been to me at once a source of interest and profit. 



In receding to-night from the position that I have so long 

 occupied I do so with more than complacency, because of the 

 perfect satisfaction, not only I, but all of us, must have in the 

 suitability, competence, and thorough efficiency of the gentleman 

 by whom I am happily to be succeeded. All of us know in Mr. 

 Nelson a gentleman, a microscopist of the first order, and one 

 whose knowledge of the present position and past development 

 of the instrument is thorough, and after having become by four 

 years of close observation cognizant of the unique and important 

 position occupied by this Club, it is pleasant, whatever my own 

 shortcomings may have been, to find myself succeeded by one 

 who is not only a friend, but a friend whose competence com- 

 mends itself to all. 



In saying a few parting words from this chair, the embarrass- 

 ment arising from the abundance of the material undoubtedly 

 presents itself, but at the same time there are limits involved in 

 the position more easily felt than expressed. 



One may, perhaps, glance briefly at one or two of the in- 

 cidents connected with a year of direct and associated work in 

 regard to our favourite science. A mere review of the work 

 done by the Club can never be thorough enough to be satisfac- 

 tory, even if it were needed, but a glance at some of the 



