54:4! Geological Society/'. Anniversary Address, 1842. 



In assigning the donation of the WoUaston Fund to Mr. Morris, 

 the President thus expressed himself: — 

 Mr. Morris, 



The Council of the Geological Society have awarded to you the 

 proceeds of the WoUaston Fund during tlie past year, to assist you 

 in preparing for publication a table of British Organic Remains, in 

 which you have been for some time engaged, and which, from the 

 specimens laid before us, we believe will be of very great service in 

 promoting the accurate study of Geology. The value of the table 

 of the late Mr. Woodward has been acknowledged ; but his prema- 

 ture death having prevented him I'roni enlarging its sphere as our 

 science advanced, a new and much more comprehensive work has 

 been urgently demanded. T am happy that the task of meeting our 

 wants has been undertaken by one well qualified, like yourself, by 

 diligent research and a competent acquaintance with Natural His- 

 torv ; whilst in thus consulting your own wishes, the Council of the 

 Geological Society is persuaded that they are acting in the very 

 spirit of WoUaston's bequest, not treasuring up money parsimoni- 

 ously, but expending it liberally upon the very fitting occasion which 

 your ability and research have called forth. 



To which Mr. Morris replied, — 



Sir, — I cannot sufficiently express my grateful thanks to the So- 

 ciety for the unexpected compliment that has this day been conferred 

 upon me, and more especially for the disinterested feeling which 

 has actuated the Council in awarding to one almost unknown to 

 them, this honourable testimonial of their approbation, and not the 

 less flattering to me. Sir, your kind and courteous manner in com- 

 municating the same ; and I trust that my efforts for the promotion 

 of geological science, which have already entailed ujjon me so many 

 obligations to various members of the Society, may still excite their 

 willing co-operation towards perfecting a catalogue of British Fossil 

 Remains, from which the geologist may reason with confidence, and 

 which the naturalist may consult with advantage. 



Anniversary Address of the President. 

 Gentlemen, 

 Although acquainted with my intended absence from this country 

 during many months of the past year, you nevertheless honoured 

 me with the station which I occupy, kindly intimating that the ac- 

 tive pursuits of geology should not be a bar to the enjoyment of the 

 chief distinction which you can confer. In thanking you sincerely 

 for that proof of your good opinion, permit me to say, that if the 

 presiding over a body of gentlemen so well knit together for a com- 

 mon purpose, were all that you expected from me, light as well as 

 agreeable would be the task. A charge, however, of a more serious 

 nature is the composition of an anniversary discourse, in which I 

 am expected to treat of the progress of geology during the past 

 j'ear. So very expanded is the present condition of our science, 

 that he who attempts to give a clear synopsis of all that has been 

 done in different parts of the globe, even in one year, and to in- 



