40 Address of the President. 



large wood of our mosses and alluvial lands, where it would be 

 in vain to expect trees of similar size now to be matured, tell 

 us that some difference in circumstances existed, though we 

 cannot yet trace what that was. 



It may be said that working out such subjects as I have 

 alluded to, by a scientific association, will only be to gratify 

 the pride or curiosity of its members, and will not be produc- 

 tive of any real good to their neighbours, or utility to 

 mankind. We think such an assertion would be entirely 

 unfounded. 



It is possible that some of our minds may be so wedded to 

 technicalities as to be incapable of forming profitable deduc- 

 tions from the facts gained ; if such was the case, others will 

 be found to utilise the facts which we elicit ; but whether or 

 not, without the truth and facts nothing can be done. Besides, 

 the mind of man reqviires recreation. He has been ordained 

 to follow out professions requiring great and long exercise of 

 mind, or continued bodily exertion. Both must have change 

 and rest ; and there are few men, whether engaged in politics, or 

 the government, or professional, or artizans, who have not some 

 pursuit — such as the various branches of literature and science, 

 sports of the field, etc. — which they now and then take up, 

 different from their acknowledged vocation. With the majo- 

 rity these may be useful, or at least not injurious ; but in too 

 many instances gambling, dissipation and sensuality take their 

 place, and for a short time give a supposed relief to the mind 

 or body. Legislation has done much to repress those vices, 

 tempted by, and incident to idleness, weariness and faulty 

 education ; but from the difficulty of finding innocent and at 

 the same time interesting substitutes, the attempts at reform 

 have not effected all that was desired. But advance is gra- 

 dually making, and public libraries and institutions are 

 assisting. An association of men for the investigations of the 

 objects pointed at by this Society, wiU tend to turn their 

 thoughts into different paths ; the new views obtained will 



