Address of the President. 27 



attributes of a fine temper and disposition with a readiness to 

 join in any recreation, or amusement, or research, and to assist 

 the party as best he could, rejoicing to instruct and give in- 

 formation. But we shall miss him especially in our anti- 

 quarian researches, where he would have materially given us 

 help, and brought to bear his great learning and scholarship 

 upon many of the questions of ancient history that will come 

 before us. We shall miss Macdonald. His extensive Ubrary, 

 I am glad to say, is to remain intact, and I am sure members 

 will still enjoy its use. 



And now, gentlemen, having run shortly over the doings 

 of your first year, I would wish to call your attention to a 

 few points which may bear upon and be profitable for a new 

 institution to consider. 



Since the time that the arts and sciences began to be 

 cultivated, "Societies" for their promotion sprung up ; that is, 

 men associated themselves together for the purpose of mutually 

 inquiring into, and discussing those subjects to which they 

 had been directing their attention. In those early days when 

 the conveyance of information was so dilatory ; when the inter- 

 course by letter occupied weeks or months before the 

 interchange of opinion could be effected, or the reply to a 

 simple question obtained ; a meeting of scientific men once in 

 a quarter or half year was of infinite importance. Thus it 

 was that the Eoyal Society of London became established 

 sometime in the beginning of 1600. The Meetings took place 

 in the houses or lodgings of the " gentlemen," and in 1660 they 

 met and constituted themselves a Society, " for the promotion 

 of all kinds of experimental philosophy." Eules were draw up, 

 and office-bearers were appointed, and one shilling weekly was 

 subscribed to defray the expense of " their experiments." This 

 assemblage soon attracted the attention of Europe ; it received 

 a royal charter ; and admission to it now stands the one 

 most coveted as a mark of scientific attainments. The 



