ADDRESS. 11 



regard as one of its most beneficial effects its influence on the Legislature 

 and on the Executive. 



Perhaps this may be a proper opportunity for remarking on the constitu- 

 tion of the Association, and on the mode in which its influence has been 

 acquired and the rules which its structure imposes on its actions. By con- 

 sidering it in relation to other institutions of our country, we shall discover 

 the fitness of its arrangements for the purposes contemplated in its institution ; 

 and by studying on the broad scale the history of the past, we shall learn to 

 guide ourselves for the future. 



One of the strongly-marked distinctions between Britain and the other 

 states of civilized Europe is this, tliat we have no Academy of Sciences sup- 

 ported by the State for the express purpose of advancing Science. Even 

 our Universities do not, in their institution, possess this character ; they are 

 essentially places of education only, — although, incidentally, they have ren- 

 dered inestimable service to Science. And this absence of Government- 

 Science harmonizes well with the peculiarities of our social institutions. In 

 Science, as well as in almost everything else, our national genius inclines us 

 to prefer voluntary associations of private persons to organizations of any 

 kind dependent on the State. 



It is not to be expected that this condition of things will be perfectly 

 satisfactory to every individual ; and, indeed, a wish has sometimes been 

 expressed that an Academy of Sciences were established in Britain. In this 

 wish I, personally, do not join. A great German poet and historian, who 

 was also a profound and practical thinker, has ascribed the boldness and the 

 originality of German literature to the circumstance that it was not encouraged 

 by the most distinguished German princes. He regarded the tendency of 

 such patronage as enfeebling and almost calamitous. I am inclined to apply 

 the same remark, at least to some extent, to Science. I gratefully acknow- 

 ledge the services which Government has rendered to Science by acceding 

 to the recommendations of this and other bodies who have indisputably esta- 

 blished claims to their attention ; I think it is honourable and advantageous 

 to every party that the Government should occasionally grant personal rewards 

 for important discoveries ; I am of opinion that when any branch of Science 

 has been put in such a form that it admits of continued improvement under 

 a continued administrative routine, that administration should be undertaken 

 by the Government. But I trust that in all cases the initiative of Science 

 will be left to individuals or to independent associations. 



In no country, I apprehend, is so much done for Science in private observa- 

 tories and private laboratories as in this. The future historian of Astronomy 

 will tell of the enormous catalogues of stars observed and the numerous 



