PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS—SECTION I. 193 
the English.” And on this subject the responsibilities of our 
American cousins are well expressed in the words or song of the 
poet :— 
Beyond the vague Atlantic deep, 
Far as the farthest prairies sweep, 
Where mountain wastes the sense appal, 
Where burns the radiant Western fall, 
One duty les on old and young— 
With filial piety to guard, 
As on its greenest native sward, 
The glory of the English tongue! 
Although literature other than that now referred to lies rather 
outside the present notice, I may observe that much of a most 
valuable character has been locally written, including, amongst 
other matter, narratives of early explorations, complete histories 
of several of the colonies, accounts of the aborigines, elaborate 
treatises on local geology and on various branches of natural 
history. For learned and exhaustive contributions to the 
botanical section of the last-named subject, I am sure there is no 
one whom this Association will more delight to honour than our 
learned and distinguished President, Baron Sir Ferdinand von 
Mueller, whose long and brilliant labours in connection with the 
special subject with which his name must be for ever associated, 
have secured for him both fame and honours in the old world, 
and, locally, have made not merely his own province but all 
Australasia his debtor. 
Passing from Literature to the second division of our section, 
a brief allusion may be expected to that which in its highest 
expression reaches perhaps to the very ideal of art, namely, 
Sculpture. In this, resident artists of home or foreign nationality 
have done much; but although a practical taste for it is already 
dawning in our midst, I am not aware that our youth have 
accomplished any original work requiring special mention. Nor 
is this strange. Much expenditure of time and means, with 
access to necessary models, are required for the attainment of 
proficiency in this difficult art, whilst rewards are precarious, as 
those whose means might enable them to afford encouragement to 
its higher efforts may prefer, for the present at least, to go to the 
great studios of the old world, where choice is so varied and so 
excellent, rather than limit themselves to the comparatively small 
field for selection afforded by the colonies. 
For Drawing in all its branches a marked amount of native 
talent exists. Great facilities for study of the art are afforded 
by several of the colonies. In Victoria the sum of one thousand 
pounds is given yearly to the Art School in connection with the 
National Gallery, which itself obtains the very liberal annual 
grant of about seven thousand pounds. An additional impetus 
is given to the study of painting by the establishment of a 
Travelling Scholarship (of £150 per annum), tenable for three 
M 
