INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 21 



events, such men disappear, somehow or other new men arise 

 to take tlieir place. At the present time we may congratu- 

 late ourselves on the Royal Society of Tasmania being in 

 a healthy state, and fairly commanding the sympathy of the 

 public, although there is plenty of room in it for more 

 workers. We are fortunate in the fact that our leading men 

 in society in Tasmania, both past and present, have taken an 

 active part in the advancement of science. My various 

 predecessors in office have for the most part closely identified 

 themselves with the interests of the Royal Society ; and, 

 besides Sir John FrankHn, who, as I have shown, played a 

 leading part in its inception, scientific work in Tasmania owes 

 much to the aid it received from two other Governors, who 

 were also themselves men of science — I refer to Sir William 

 Denison and Sir Henry Lefroy. The late Bishop Nixon, 

 who was a man of great culture and power, lent the Society 

 his earnest support, and the present Chief Justice, Sir 

 Lambert Dobson, is a Member of our Council, and he and 

 Bishop Montgomery not only frequently take part in our 

 discussions, but also have both contributed papers to our pro- 

 ceedings ; while the venerable Roman Catholic Archbishop, 

 whose astronomical attainments are of a high order, is 

 one of the Vice-Presidents of the Astronomical Section of 

 this Association. Still, what I may call the general mind of 

 the community does not go out toward scientific observation 

 and investigation as I should like to see it. There is a 

 disinclination to take trouble about, and a keen interest in, 

 what does not obviously add directly and immediately to the 

 wealth and comfort of the community; but I look forward 

 to one effect of this great gathering in Hobart being to press 

 home the conviction to the minds of our people that the 

 more we add to our knowledge of Nature's laws the more 

 we are able to make use of them for our benefit, often in 

 directions quite undreamt of. Of this, at least, I am very 

 hopeful, that even if this gathering does not, as I hope and 

 believe it will, directly tend to increase the number of contri- 

 butors to our Society, it will, at least, give a stimulus and 

 an impetus to scientific research generally throughout 

 Tasmania, the salutary effect of which will become more and 

 more apparent as years roll on. 



I will now read to you Sir Lyon Playfair's letter. 



