British Association. 3 



" Whatever may be thought of the frequency of the meetings 

 of the Association in general, it cannot be held by any one who 

 has witnessed our recent assemblage, that an interval of fifteen 

 years was too short a period before the repetition of the meeting in 

 Glasgow took place. Not only has a sufficient number of fresh votaries 

 of science appeared in the field since the time of the first visit, but 

 in the hands of these and of the veterans, science and its applications to 

 useful arts have not slumbered in this town or its vicinity, but have 

 been advanced here as elsewhere with increasing rapidity. The sketch 

 which I shall lay before you of the principal communications brought 

 before the several Sectional meetings, will show that the value of the 

 scientific facts and importance of the principles discussed at this 

 meeting, do not yield to any of those which have preceded it. Great 

 and striking novelties or discoveries in science do not arise in regular 

 periodic succession ; but valuable reseai'ch, and great vigour, and fruit- 

 fulness of suggestion, may with justice be said to have characterized 

 the proceedings at every one of the Sectional meetings. 



" Before entering upon an enumeration of the scientific business brought 

 forward at the Sections, it is proper for me to allude shortly to the 

 general interest which was given to the meeting by the manner in 

 which the office of president was filled by the Duke of Argyll. All those, 

 I am sure, who heard the eloquent and learned addresses delivered 

 by that accomplished nobleman, must have been struck with the 

 masterly sketch in which, at the first public meeting, he brought 

 rapidly before them, in language equally elegant and descriptive, a 

 history of the progress of science in the period between the first and 

 the second meetings of the British Association in Glasgow ; and the 

 citizens of Glasgow, and of the west of Scotland, feel some degree of 

 pride, that from among themselves had arisen one whose grace and learn- 

 ing were calculated to add lustre to such an assemblage of the most 

 celebrated scientific men of this and other countries." 



The President then gave a short account of the more important 

 papers brought before the several Sections, having been kindly fur- 

 nished with the necessary materials by the Presidents or Secretaries of 

 the several Sections. 



He then continued — 



" After these, the greater and essential features of the meeting, I need 

 do no more than allude to the various minor arrangements and acces- 

 sory circumstances which contributed to its success. 



" The very suitable accommodation provided by the College for the 

 various Sectional meetings — the unequalled iialls which the town so 

 liberally ollcrcd for the public assemblies, among which 1 must not 



