1880.] 51d LFraley. 



1. Address by the President, 



Frederick Fraley, LL.D. 



"It is not facts which perplex us, but the opinions about those facts." — Epictetus. 



In May, 1843, our Society celebrated the One Hun- 

 dredth Anniversary of its foundation. The century 

 that had thus encircled it was one of the most remark- 

 able the world had witnessed. 



Whether looked at from political or scientific points 

 of view it was marked by most important changes, the 

 fruits of which as now enjoyed have added greatly to 

 the civilization, wealth and happiness of mankind. 



The historian of the Society, in his address in 1843, 

 gave a most eloquent and faithful account of the his- 

 tory of our institution, but he found his limits too nar- 

 row to portray all that he desired, and it was left to 

 others in sessions that continued for several days to 

 tell of the wonders of scientific discovery. 



When my esteemed friend Dr. Robert M. Patterson 

 closed his address he made a pointed reference to the 

 incorporation of the Society, in March, 1780, and 

 expressed the hope that when another celebration 

 should be held, the Society could be found as honor- 

 able and as honored in the years to come as it has 

 been in those which he commemorated. Little did I 

 think then that I should stand in his place to-day and 

 try to trace with no hand or voice like his the record 

 that he left unfinished and the story of the years that 

 have followed. I can scarcely realize that I am the 

 only surviving member of the Committee of Arrange- 

 ment for the Centennial of 1843, and that my venerable 

 friend, Dr. Isaac Lea, is the only survivor of the Board 

 of Officers and Council of that day. 



