6 INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS: 



whose work we are to-day greatly benefiting. Robin has, alas, himself 

 passed away during the Great War, gloriously devoting his life on the 

 Field of Battle on behalf of his Country. I make no apologies for 

 referring to this tribute to the Metallographist and for quoting in 

 full the wise words of Osmond. These are well worthy of consideration 

 to-day, and the reasons given by him will, I trust, cheer many an- 

 author and many a worker in the fields of research. 



Osmond said: "To write a treatise on a branch of Science in process 

 of active development is an arduous task, especially when the author is 

 not a professor and the book not the natural synthesis of the course. 

 It is also a thankless task, for the work of to-morrow will amplify and 

 correct that of to-day. In a few years' time, too, the old edifice must 

 be rebuilt because the new generation no longer deems it sufficiently 

 comfortable in its old form. We ought, therefore, to be indebted to those 

 who have the courage — which I have always lacked — to collect and 

 collate scattered material. Those who continue the work are thereby 

 saved the trouble of lengthy visits to libraries and the search for docu- 

 ments of sometimes questionable value disseminated in the periodicals of 

 all civilised countries. But M. Robin's book is not a mere compilation. 

 The author, whose numerous papers have evoked the attention of, and 

 have been the subject of numerous awards by, the British Iron and 

 Steel Institute and others, has been working whole-heartedly for some 

 years past in the direction of extending our knowledge of Metallography 

 and its kindred Sciences. His contributions to this Science have been 

 most useful, and he is thus in a position to enrich the present treatise 

 by his personal experience and minute observations, to the great benefit 

 of those who will follow him." 



''La science est un pays plein de terres desertes ; 

 " Tous les jours nos auteurs y font des decouvertes. 

 " Mais ce chajnp ne se pent tellement moissonner, 

 ''Que les dernier s venus riy trouvent a glaner.'^ 



Work of the Various Societies taking part 

 IN THIS Symposium. 



The Faraday Society. — Turning to the work of each of the 

 Societies taking part in this Symposium, I deal with that of the 

 Faraday Society in a separate paper presented to this Sym- 

 posium, entitled " The Work of the Faraday Society and a brief 

 Reference to Michael Faraday." I will therefore not add anything 

 further here. (See Appendix II. p. 254). 



Royal Microscopical Society. — The Royal Microscopical Society was 

 established in 1839. The late Dr. H. C. Sorby, F.R.S., of Sheffield, 

 the Founder of Modern Metallography and of whom a portrait is 

 given in Fig. 1, was President of this Society in 1876 and 1877. 

 The famous Microscopist, Dr. W. Dallinger, F.R.S., of whom a 

 portrait is given in Fig. 2, and who lived in Sheffield for a number 

 of years, was also President, in the years 1884-7. 



