ADDEESS BY THE PEESIDENT. 



I would remind you that the objects of this Society are, — the in- 

 Tcstigation of the Meteorology, Geology, Botany, and Zoology of 

 the county of Hertford ; the publication of the results of such in- 

 vestigation ; and the dissemination amongst its members of infor- 

 mation on Natural History and Microscopical Science. Anthropo- 

 logy is, of course, included in the scheme. You all know that 



Pope said — 



" The proper study of mankind is man ; " 



but Wordsworth, who was a more philosophic poet, albeit perhaps 

 sometimes verbose, tells us — 



' ' Happy is he who lives to understand 

 Not human nature ouly, but explores 

 All natiu-es, — to the end that he may find 

 The law that governs each ; and where begins 

 The imion, the partition where, that makes 

 Kind and degree, among all visible beings ; 

 The constitutions, powers, and faculties 

 Which they inherit — cannot step beyond — 

 And cannot fall beneath ; that do assign 

 To eveiy class its station and its office, 

 Through all the mighty commonwealth of things ; 

 Up from the creeping plant to sovereign Man. 

 Such converse, if directed by a meek. 

 Sincere, and humble spirit, teaches love : 

 For knowledge is delight ; and such delight 

 Breeds love : yet, siuted as it rather is 

 To thought and to the climbing intellect, 

 It teaches less to love, than to adore ; 

 If that be not indeed the highest love ! " 



