* 
British Association for the Advancement of Science. 4 
we seaiienk, nor is this testimony at all weakened by our claiming for 
members of our own, the merit of having brought into view 
the importance of such an undertaking, laid before the English public 
the progress which the subject was making in other countries, planned 
the scheme of operations which our own exertions ought to follow, and 
animated the observers, by giving them the certainty that their wagon 
tions will be well used and fully appreciated. 
*¢ When we can point to these numerous and valuable direct results of 
our exertions, we cannot at all waver in our conviction that those persons 
acted in the truest spirit of the age, and of the nation, who, eleven years 
ago, framed the design of a voluntary association for the advancement of 
science among the subjects of this empire: and that the hopes and ex- 
pectations which such an institution might naturally exercise, have been 
fully verified by the course and progress, the labors and successes of the 
British Association. 
“ | do not doubt that the present Meeting will continue to uphold the 
character of the Association, and will be inferior to none of the preced- 
ing in the value and interest of its proceedings. We are not yet likely 
to want for matter to labor upon. The collection of facts and the reduc- 
tion of them by various ti quired to a vast extent, in 
order that our knowledge macy make the next step of a to which 
its path invites our hopes. 
“ It is easy to point out vast fields of research, on ildaiieaiinaeininen 
and our energies may be applied with every prospect of a rapid increase 
of knowledge. For, in fact, how little has been done for science, by 
the collection of exact and long-continued series of observations, such 
as he must have before him who is to interpret nature. In astronomy, 
indeed, this has been done: sovereigns, and nations, and opulent individ- 
uals have thought their wealth well bestowed in providing costly instru- 
ments, and rewarding the astronomer through his daily and nightly toils. 
The stars have been well observed from the begiming of civilization ; 
but, for the purposes of science, we ought to have observations as carefi 
and as continued of all the other parts of nature as we have of the stars. 
The tides, the waves, the winds, and all the other changes of the air, 
pressure, temperature, moisture, magnetism, electricity, chemical chan- 
“ges, and even those of vegetable and animal life,—all these afford mate- 
rials for researches full of importance and interest. For these, the time 
is, perhaps, not yet come, when they can be urged upon governments as 
a part of their business, in the same way in which astronomy is; except 
perhaps magnetism, which has already taken its place in our observato- 
Hee hy ong ore astronomy;in our own and other countries. Those 
the cultiva a association such 
Vv a voluntary 
as ours; and the occasions of fitly doing this will doubtless be suggested 
