ADDRESS 



DELIVERED BEFORE THE MEMBERS 



OF THE 



WEST KENT NATURAL HISTORY, 

 MICROSCOPICAL, & PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY, 



BY 



The President, Rev. ANDREW JOHNSON, M.A., F.L.S., 

 On the 25th FEBRUARY, 1885. 



Gentlemen, 



It was only a very few days ago that I learned that it 

 would be my duty to night to offer you an address. I received 

 the information with some anxiety, for although it may be an 

 easy and a pleasant thing to take one's part in a conversation 

 upon subjects so deeply interesting as those which concern 

 our society, it is a very different matter to be compelled at 

 very short notice to give utterance to a soliloquy which may 

 possibly be printed, and on the shortcomings of which, 

 therefore, one's worst enemy (if such exist) may take the 

 opportunity of leisurely wreaking his critical vengeance. 

 The subject which I have taken this evening is suggested by 

 one of the titles of our Society. I say one, for we are, as Mrs. 

 Malaprop said of Cerberus, " three gentlemen rolled into 

 one." It is somewhat difficult, therefore, to secure each 

 section its fair proportion of consideration, and may be worth 

 while for the Council to consider whether, by some special 

 arrangement for providing discussions and papers on days 

 previously announced on our proceedings card, an opening 

 might not be given to members who are now silent for want 

 of some specified opportunity for rallying round their favourite 

 subject. 



