es. = eo..,CmCt~< DP ..,mh. 
109 
polis, by another and elder society, before the institution of our’ 
own; yet no philosopher nor statesman, who has reflected suffi- 
ciently on the well-known connexion between theory and practice, 
or on the refining and softening tendencies of quiet study, will 
think that therefore we must necessarily be useless or unimportant 
as a body, to Ireland, or to the Empire. 
The object of this Academy being thus seen tobe the encourage- 
ment of srupy, we have next to consider the means by which we are 
to accomplish, or to tend towards accomplishing that object. Those 
means are of many kinds, but they may all be arranged under the two 
great heads of inward and outward encouragement ; or, in other 
words, stimuli and assistances ; inshort, spuRsand HELPS to study. 
The encouragement that is given may act as supplying a motive, 
or as removing a hindrance; it may be indirect, or it may be 
direct ; invisible or visible; mental or material. Not that these 
two great kinds of good and useful action are altogether separated 
from each other. On the contrary, they are usually combined ; 
and what gives a stimulus, gives commonly a facility too. In our 
meetings, for example, the stimulating principle prevails ; yet in 
them we are not only caused to feel an increased inéerest in study 
generally, through the operation of that social spirit, or spirit of 
sympathy, of which I spoke so largely, in the presence of most of 
you, at the meeting of the British Association* m this city ; but 
also are directly assisted in pursuing our own particular studies, by 
having the results of other studious persons early laid before us, 
‘and commented upon, by themselves and by others,’ in a fresh 
familiar way. We are not only spurred but helped to study, by 
mixing freely with other students.—A dibrary, again, is designed 
rather to assist than to stimulate; and yet it is impossible for a 
person of ardent mind to contemplate a well selected assemblage of 
books, containing what Milton has described as “‘ the precious life- 
blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a 
life beyond life,” without feeling a deep desire to add, to the store 
already accumulated, some newer treasure of his own. Our 
pp usar ys Serie Oe ee ee ee 
* See the Address printed in the Fifth Report of the British Association for the 
Advancement of Science,—Note by PRESIDENT. 
