xliv REPORT—1845. 
come, | am persuaded, in innumerable cases, the germs of theories, and the 
connecting links between distant regions of thought, which might have other- 
wise continued indefinitely dissociated. 
How far this Association has hitherto been instrumental in fulfilling the 
ends for which it was called into existence, can, however, be only imperfectly 
estimated from these considerations. Science, as it stands at present, is 
not merely advanced by speculation and thought; it stands in need of ma- 
terial appliances and means; its pursuit is costly, and to those who pursue 
it for its own sake, utterly unremunerative, however largely the community 
may benefit by its applications, and however successfully practical men may 
turn their own or others’ discoveries to account. Hence arises a wide field 
for scientific utility in the application of pecuniary resources in aid of private 
research, and one in which assuredly this Association has not held back its 
hand. I have had the curiosity to cast up the sums which have been ac- 
tually paid, or are now in immediate course of payment, on account of grants 
for scientific purposes by this Association since its last meeting at this place, 
and I find them to amount to not less than 11,1672. And when it is re- 
collected that in no case is any portion of these grants applied to cover any 
personal expense, it will easily be seen how very large an amount of scien- 
tific activity has been brought into play by its exertions in this respect, to 
say nothing of the now very numerous occasions in which the attention and 
’ aid of Government have been effectually drawn to specific objects at our 
instance. 
As regards the general progress of Science within the interval I have 
alluded to, it is far too wide a field for me now to enter upon, and it would 
be needless to do so in this assembly, scarcely a man of which has not been 
actively employed in urging on the triumphant march of its chariot-wheels, 
and felt in his own person the high excitement of success joined with that — 
noble glow which is the result of companionship in honourable effort. May 
such ever be the prevalent feeling among us! ‘True Science, like true Reli- 
gion, is wide-embracing in its extent and aim. Let interests divide the 
worldly and jealousies torment the envious! We breathe, or long to breathe, 
a purer empyrean. The common pursuit of Truth is of itself a brotherhood. 
In these our annual meetings, to which every corner of Britain—almost every 
nation in Europe sends forth as its representative some distinguished culti- 
vator of some separate branch of knowledge; where, I would ask, in so vast 
a variety of pursuits which seem to have hardly anything in common, are we 
to look for that acknowledged source of delight which draws us together and 
inspires us with a sense of unity? That astronomers should congregate to 
talk of stars and planets—chemists of atoms—geologists of strata—is natural 
enough ; but what is there of egual mutual interest, egually connected with 
and equally pervading all they are engaged upon, which causes their hearts 
to burn within them for mutual communication and unbosoming? Surely, 
were each of us to give utterance to all he feels, we should hear the chemist, 
the astronomer, the physiologist, the electrician, the botanist, the geologist, 
all with one accord, and each in the language of his own science, declaring 
not only the wonderful works of God disclosed by it, but the delight which 
their disclosure affords him, and the privilege he feels it to be to have aided 
in it. This is indeed a magnificent induction—a consilience there is no re- 
fusing. It leads us to look onward, through the long vista of time, with 
chastened but confident assurance that Science has still other and nobler 
work to do than any she has yet attempted ; work, which before she is pre- 
pared to attempt, the minds of men must be prepared to receive the attempt, 
—prepared, I mean, by an entire conviction of the wisdom of her views, the 
purity of her objects and the faithfulness of her disciples. 
