14 



chaser. I speak of a local luuseuiu as being of special importance 

 witli regard to antiquities, because these, of course, are limited 

 in number ; and when once a relic has been found, and lost or destroyed, 

 it is gone for ever, and nothing can take its place. But a museum is of 

 not much less importance with regard to local specimens, illustrating the 

 geology, or the fauna or flora of the district. This might well be under 

 taken under the auspices of our affiliated societies, and it might be matter 

 of honourable rivalry amongst them which should possess in the various 

 de2Jartments the most complete or most valuable collections. Other re- 

 marks might be made touching the beneficial operation of local literary 

 and scientific societies ; but those which I have offered to you are perhaps 

 as plain and obvious as any, and I trust as useful and important. They 

 are certainly as numerous as my time on an occasion such as this would 

 seem fairly to allow. I pass on, therefore, from the more immediate con- 

 sideration of the advantages and the operations of such societies to make 

 a few general observations concerning literature and science, which seem 

 to be germane to the present occasion, and which I should be sorry to omit. 



GENERAL KEMAKKS ON LITERATUEE AND SCIENCE. 



For the question naturally occurs to myself, and Avill pi'obably occur 

 to others who take an interest in the proceedings of this day, and, it may 

 be also, to some who take no such interest, " Why should the Bishop of 

 the Diocese be invited, and why should he consent to be the first president 

 of an association for the advancement of literature and science 'V Cer- 

 tainly it cannot be on the ground of anything which he can himself per- 

 sonally do in the advancement of literature. For, alas ! a bishop in these 

 days is a man of letters chiefly in the sense of being a man who has a 

 fearful amount of letters both to receive and to write ; and as for science, 

 a scientific bishop is still more impossible and inconceivable than a literary. 

 I myself, though I have received that kind of education which is necessary 

 for the study of the higher departments of science, and though I know 

 very well the delicious taste of the frrit of mathematical research, have 

 long long ago been compelled to forego all such delights, and to regard 

 the i^rogress of science at a resjsectful and ever increasing distance. Still 

 I cannot but feel that there is a certain propriety, I wUl not say in your 



