PROCEEDINGS OF THE MEETING. XXIU 



The Members reassembled at the same time and place on the 

 evenings of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. At 

 these meetings lectures on various subjects of science were de- 

 livered by Dr. Robinson, Dr. Lardner, Dr. Buckland, Professor 

 Sedgwick, and Mr. WhewelL On each evening the Chairmen or 

 Secretaries of the Sectional Committees reported the proceed- 

 ings which had taken place during the morning in their respec- 

 tive sections. In concluding the last report of the transactions 

 of the Medical section. Dr. Abercrombie said, " The whole 

 business of the section, Sir, has been conducted in the most 

 satisfactory manner, and a great variety of important communi- 

 cations has been laid before it; but considering these as not 

 adapted in general for a mixed audience, I have alluded to them 

 in very few words ; having, therefore, intruded but little upon 

 your time, I trust you will indulge me with your attention while 

 I express in the name of the medical profession of Edinburgh 

 the high satisfaction we have received from the meeting which 

 is now drawing to a close, especially by having been brought 

 into personal intercourse, and, I trust, personal friendship with 

 so many distinguished individuals whose names have been long 

 familiar to us as holding the highest rank in science. From 

 their combined exertions we expect the most valuable results to 

 every department of human knowledge. I am none of those 

 who anticipate from the researches of physical science anything 

 adverse to the highest interests of man as a moral being. On 

 the contrary, I am convinced that those who have made the 

 greatest advances in true science will be the first to acknowledge 

 their own insignificance when viewed in relation to that incom- 

 prehensible One who guides the planet in its course, and main- 

 tains the complicated movements of ten thousand suns and ten 

 thousand systems in undeviating harmony. Infidelity and irre- 

 ligion, I am satisfied, are the offspring of ignorance united to 

 presumption ; and the boldest researches of physical science, if 

 conducted in the spirit of true philosophy, must lead us but to 

 new discoveries of the power, and wisdom, and harmony, and 

 beauty which pervade all the works of Him, who is eternal." 



The last General Meeting was held on Saturday the 13th of 

 September, at 3 p.m., in the hall of the College Libi'ary. The 

 General Secretary reported the Proceedings of the General Com- 

 mittee, the time and place appointed for the next meeting, the 

 names of the Officers and Council who had been elected, the 

 objects and extent of the votes of money for promoting experi- 

 ments and investigations, the number and nature of the reports 

 solicited from men eminent in science, and the recommendations 

 of special subjects for research. 



