1855.] Linnean Society. 401 



I forbear even to name the papers which have been read at the 

 Meetings of the Linnean Society ; nor have I time to advert parti- 

 cularly to any of the subjects contained in them. I must however 

 state, that in consequence of a resolution of the Council some time 

 past, considerable progress has been made in arranging and naming 

 our own herbaria ; and the thanks of the Society are especially due 

 to Dr. Alexander, for his able and indefatigable exertions in this 

 important work. 



In this attempt to pass in review the occurrences of the past year 

 which have been calculated to exercise a favourable influence on the 

 spread of a taste for natural history, I cannot avoid noticing the 

 admirable manner in which our respected Fellow, Mr. Ward, has 

 availed himself of his Presidency of the Society of Apothecaries, to 

 bring together a large number of persons, including the most eminent 

 naturalists and physical philosophers, with many who are more or 

 less attached to similar studies, and others who, having as yet no 

 particular participation in the interest belonging to those pursuits, 

 had yet presented to their observation innumerable subjects of the 

 greatest beauty and attraction. Most who now hear me were pre- 

 sent at the two soirees given by that gentleman in his hall, where 

 nearly one hundred of the finest microscopes in the world, supplied 

 with objects illustrating every department of natural history, and 

 exhibited by many of our first microscopists, were displayed in one 

 room, the walls of which were covered with diagrams and other 

 drawings of the most interesting natural objects. I cannot but be- 

 lieve that the fruits of such a gathering of an average of 500 or 600 

 persons on each night, must by and by appear in the conversion, if 

 I may so express myself, of many who came only from curiosity, 

 into active cultivators of the science from higher motives. 



I must not pass over, also, the graceful termination of this unex- 

 ampled entertainment, by the admission of about 400 ladies on the 

 morning after the second soiree, to see and enjoy the same beautiful 

 objects. I am confident that every person who was present on those 

 occasions will agree with me, that the thanks of all the cultivators 

 of natural science are due to Mr. Ward for this liberal and success- 

 ful exposition. 



Before I conclude this Address, I wish to make a few observations 

 on a subject of very great moment to the future welfare of the 

 Society, and on which, I believe, you will all expect some informa- 

 tion from the Chair. 



