296 Linnean Society. [May 24, 



Anniversary Meeting. 



May 24. 



Thomas Bell, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



This day, the Anniversary of the birth of Linnaeus, and that 

 appointed by the Charter for the Election of the Council and Officers, 

 the President opened the business of the Meeting with the following 

 Address : — 



Gentlemen, 



It has long appeared to me that the character of our Anniversary 

 Meetings, the monotony of which has generally been broken only 

 by the sad though interesting obituary, which has always been so 

 ably drawn up by our talented and estimable Secretary, might 

 be rendered more attractive, and, perhaps, more useful, by a brief 

 account of the progress which the interval between the two annual 

 pei-iods has witnessed in those departments of science, the cultivation 

 of which is the great object of the Linnean Society. Tliis, it was 

 my particular desire to have done upon the present occasion ; but 

 circumstances to which I need not particularly refer, have prevented 

 me from doing any justice to so large and difficult a task. Should 

 \, however, again have the honour of receiving your suffrages, and 

 be re-elected your President, I shall hope to be able to lay before 

 you at a future anniversary, some such report as that to which I 

 have alluded. It is certainly useful as well as pleasant to stand still, 

 as it were, from time to time and mark the discoveries and improve- 

 ments which have attended our progress ; and, in our own case par- 

 ticularly, to watch the results of the influence which this Society 

 ought at least to exercise, and doubtless does exercise upon the ad- 

 vancement and diffusion of natural knowledge. It is true that this 

 is in some measure obtainable by the perusal of the publications of 

 the Society, which give the history of our own doings ; but there is 

 stiD wanting some more extended outline, including the discoveries 

 of naturalists of other countries, which might not only give much 

 interesting information, and point out many subjects for our own 

 study or investigation, but 'cheer and excite us to further exertion, 

 by the stimrJus of a generous emulation. 



Whilst, however, I have been prevented from fulfilling the task 

 which I had proposed to myself, there are some circumstances con- 

 nected with the Society which may aflFord room for a few observa- 



